"VIGILANT CITIZENS AGAINST HATE": How to counter bystander apathy and increase citizens' commitment against online hate speech?

This project addresses a key social challenge we face around the world: how to prevent and combat online hate speech, particularly against immigrants. Specifically, this project focuses on the role of ordinary citizens who passively witness hate speech without reporting it. Such passive behavior contributes to obscure the real magnitude of these crimes and to indirectly legitimize and perpetuate their occurrence. Thus, the aim of this project is to study and test mechanisms to increase moral self-regulation in order to monitor and report online hate speech, empowering citizens about their responsibility in the process of reporting online hate speech, reducing bystander apathy. We hope that this project will contribute to the promotion of a more responsible use of social networks, with greater concern for respect for human dignity, social justice and democratic values.