Speak up, Report, Support:
An Evidence-Based Approach to Combating
Online Hate and Promote Pro-Social Behavior
In a world increasingly shaped by online interactions, the impact of online hate is far-reaching. But what can be done about it?
Our research shows a simple yet effective way to combat online hate: encouraging social media users to follow three actionable steps:
Speak Up: Try to invoke empathy. Never respond with hate.
Report: Use the platform’s report function.
Support: Express your support to the victim of hate.
The goal is not to change the mind of the hater but to help the victims and restore fruitful discussions.
Explore the resources on this page to learn about the tools we’ve developed, understand the research behind them, and discover how you can apply them—whether you’re a platform owner, user, or moderator.
For instance, get started by hearing from Lasse Lindekilde, the Principal Investigator behind the project, about the work below.
«Our evidence-based tools encourage ordinary social media users to be part of the solution by following three actionable steps when encountering hate: “Speak up, Report, Support”. Our research shows that this approach can lead to lasting behavior change—with more people posting constructive comments and engaging in meaningful, cross-cutting dialogue.»
Lasse Lindekilde, Professor
Department of Political Science,
Aarhus University