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Countering Hate Speech Online (UK)

How can we counter online hate speech and xenophobia?
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As humans, we thrive on social connections and group associations. But this tendency can also lead us to be suspicious of people outside our group. This fear -- xenophobia -- can be overcome by more exposure to people who are different from us. However, the internet can often make this difficult. Help learners recognise this challenge and find strategies for navigating content online.

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Learning Objectives:

  • Describe the relationship between hate speech and xenophobia.

  • Analyse how the internet has contributed to an increase in hate speech and extremist views.

  • Describe one way to use the internet to combat one type of hate speech.

Key Vocabulary: hate speech   ·   counterspeech   ·   extremism   ·   xenophobia  
hate speech:
an attack using any form of communication targeting a person or people because of a group they belong to -- race, gender, religion, ability, sexual orientation, etc.
counterspeech:
messages that challenge or debunk extremism and stereotypes
extremism:
the holding of extreme political or religious views
xenophobia:
the fear or distrust of someone or something that is foreign or unknown

Lesson Plan

50 mins.

What You'll Need

Classroom resources

Take-home resources

  • Family Activity
  • Family Tips
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Lesson last updated: August 2022