What is it about?
This article analyzes how journalists, civil society representatives, and academics perceive the spread of hate speech in Spain's digital news media and compares these perceptions with actual data on how such hate unfolds online. Using survey responses from 199 professionals, along with analysis of over 9 million messages on Facebook, X, and digital news platforms, the study uncovers apparent differences between what experts believe and what the data show.
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Why is it important?
This article is essential because it highlights the gap between what professionals and researchers think about hate speech in Spanish digital news media and the actual reality shown by large-scale social media data. By comparing perceptions with empirical evidence from over 9 million messages, the study reveals that some forms—like xenophobic hate—are often overemphasized. In contrast, other significant types (e.g., political or low-intensity hate) are underestimated or ignored.
Perspectives
This publication offers a significant and timely analysis of digital hate speech against women in politics, but it also raises several challenges and prompts reflection. The study is valuable for its comprehensive methodological approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analysis to reveal the pervasive character of hate speech, its normalization on social media, and the passivity of most users when confronted with such.
Prof. Elias Said-Hung
Universidad Internacional de La Rioja
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Narrativas de odio y contranarrativas en X. Un estudio sobre la violencia digital contra mujeres políticas, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, June 2025, Revista Latina de Comunicacion Social (RLCS),
DOI: 10.4185/rlcs-2026-2459.
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