In my dissertation, I deal with hate speech: I provide its definition, causes and consequences and I connect the issue of hate speech to social networks, where nowadays, the spread of hate speech has become quite easy. Hate speech is becoming an increasingly exposed problem, as the exclusionary, xenophobic and inflammatory rhetorics are becoming increasingly normalized. This is taking place regardless of the possibility of prosecution, for which the criteria differ according to different national laws. On the other hand, we have freedom of expression, which is one of the fundamental human rights. We are faced with the question of where the line between freedom of expression and hate speech lies. In the empirical part of my dissertation, I conducted a survey, in which I included a sample of 76 people. The purpose of the survey was to investigate whether and how users on social networks perceive hate speech and what they perceive as such.
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