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Fighting Against Hate Speech: A Case for Harnessing Interactive Digital Counter-Narratives

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Interactive Storytelling (ICIDS 2023)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 14383))

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Abstract

This paper delves into the pressing issue of hate speech (HS) by examining the potential of Interactive Digital Narratives (IDN) to develop Interactive Digital Counter-Narratives (IDCN), highlighting the limited research in this area. Drawing inspiration from two cases studies and other examples from the literature, the article explores the unique ways digital media have been used to address HS through counter-narratives. By incorporating principles of decolonial thinking and Critical Race Theory, IDCNs can leverage emerging formats like video games and VR/AR/XR to counter hate speech effectively. Pointing out the inadequacy of hate-speech laws in combating covert hate speech, the paper argues that interactive counter-narratives offer a powerful means to challenge this complex societal phenomenon. According to several studies on HS, counter-narratives may preserve freedom of speech, debunk stereotypes, encourage mutual understanding, and facilitate dialogue to de-escalate conversations.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Definition provided by the Council of Europe: https://search.coe.int/cm/Pages/result_details.aspx?ObjectId=0900001680a67955.

  2. 2.

    https://knowhate.eu/.

  3. 3.

    See the recommendations of the Council of Europe to combat hate speech here:https://www.coe.int/en/web/combating-hate-speech/council-of-europe-on-hate-speech.

  4. 4.

    https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/01/1132232.

  5. 5.

    https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/key-concept-counter-narrative.pdf.

  6. 6.

    Source: https://game.intel.com/giveaway/bleepbeta/.

  7. 7.

    https://www.vice.com/en/article/dyvgvk/intels-dystopian-anti-harassment-ai-lets-users-opt-in-for-some-racism.

  8. 8.

    Refugees and migrants are different concepts and are treated very differently under modern international law. A refugee is a person fleeing wars, life threats, meaning that they are either preserving their lives or freedom. A migrant is often a person who wants to improve their lives for professional or financial reasons.

  9. 9.

    https://maldita.es/.

  10. 10.

    https://fad.es/notas-de-prensa/nace-no-more-haters-el-proyecto-de-fad-Y-maldita-es-contra-el-discurso-de-odio-en-redes/.

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Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the COST Action INDCOR (18230) for fostering an environment of reflection about IDN and societal issues, and the European Union in the scope of the EU-funded project KNOwHATE (101049306), which also enabled the research for this paper.

Disclaimer

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CERV. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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  1. ITI-LARSyS | IST, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

    Cláudia Silva

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  1. Cláudia Silva
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Correspondence to Cláudia Silva .

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  1. University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden

    Lissa Holloway-Attaway

  2. University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    John T. Murray

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Silva, C. (2023). Fighting Against Hate Speech: A Case for Harnessing Interactive Digital Counter-Narratives. In: Holloway-Attaway, L., Murray, J.T. (eds) Interactive Storytelling. ICIDS 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14383. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47655-6_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47655-6_10

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