The Widespread Experience of Online Hate: Insights from Danish Social Media Users
Our research
In order to better understand how people experience and react to online hostility, we conducted a survey across Denmark, focusing on how citizens interact with hate on social media. We analyzed over 24,000 responses to gather insights into the frequency and nature of online hate, as well as the emotional and behavioral reactions of social media users.
Our research uncovered a widespread experience of online hostility, with Facebook being the platform where users most commonly encounter it. Interestingly, hate online is often experienced indirectly—many users are more likely to witness hate targeting others than to experience it themselves.
To offer a deeper understanding of the dynamics at play, we also explored how people respond to this hostility. For example, reactions varied based on the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Young people, women, and left-leaning individuals were more likely to report emotional distress or withdraw from debates, while older users were generally less likely to take action, either for themselves or on behalf of others.
Key Takeaways
A common response to online hate is emotional distress—many people feel anger or sadness when encountering hostility. However, a significant number of people, even when deeply affected, tend to withdraw rather than engage. Very few choose to respond directly or report the hate, even when given opportunities to do so. This underscores the difficulty of encouraging active bystander intervention in hostile online spaces.
Additional Findings:
Perceived Target: Most users report experiencing or witnessing hate targeted at others rather than themselves. However, there is a noticeable difference between younger and older generations, with younger people encountering hate more frequently and across different platforms.
Platforms and Content: While Facebook leads as the platform with the most hate, Twitter and TikTok also have notable levels of hostility. Political content remains the most common trigger for hate, followed by discussions about race, gender, and appearance.
Gender and Age Variations: Both men and women experience online hate, but there are differences in the types of hate they encounter. Women, for example, report higher levels of hate related to appearance and gender, while men are more likely to encounter hate related to race and religion. Furthermore, younger people are more active in reporting and addressing hate compared to older age groups.
Methods
The data for this study was collected between September 2021 and March 2022 through a national survey sent to a representative sample of Denmark’s adult population. A total of 24,996 responses were received, offering a broad understanding of how citizens interact with online hostility.
Article
Note: This research was conducted in collaboration with the ROPH project (Research on Online Political Hostility) at Aarhus University.