The article is written by Soumyashree Mohanty, Research Associate, CYDA, Yogita Bengude and Shivani Raut, Interns, CYDA, MMM’s Shankarrao Chavan Law College, Pune.
To raise awareness and inspire action, the United Nations observes the International Day for Countering Hate Speech on June 18 each year. The goal is to promote peace, unity, and mutual respect among communities worldwide.
Freedom of expression is one of our fundamental rights that allows individuals to share their thoughts, opinions, and beliefs openly. These expressions help build a fair, inclusive, and democratic society where every voice matters.
However, in recent times, this freedom has been increasingly misused. Many now hide behind it to spread hate and division. Hate speech—comments or messages that attack individuals based on their identity—has become alarmingly common. It targets people for who they are: their caste, religion, gender, region, language, or sexuality. It isolates communities, fuels violence, and weakens our social fabric. It’s as if freedom of speech is being misinterpreted as a license to harm others.
Hate Speech in the Digital Era
With the rise of social media and AI, hate now spreads faster than ever. Harmful content—fake news, targeted abuse, and hateful videos—can go viral in minutes. Many people share such content without verifying its authenticity, which creates fear, confusion, and division.
A study conducted in India in 2024 revealed a 74% rise in hate speech against minorities—especially Muslims (BBC, 2025). This is deeply alarming. We are living in a society where hate often speaks louder than love, and empathy is being replaced by indifference. These statistics represent real people—facing threats, violence, and daily humiliation for simply being who they are.
What is more worrying is that hate speech is becoming normalised. People are growing increasingly insensitive. Some ignore it, others laugh at it, and many join in—believing it’s harmless. But hate speech can destroy lives and erode the foundations of a peaceful society. Many people suffer from mental health issues like depression and anxiety as a result of hate speech. In severe cases, some are driven to take their own lives.
Why is Hate Speech Increasing?
- Moral Decline and Lack of Empathy
In today’s fast-paced and competitive world, moral values such as compassion, tolerance, and empathy are gradually eroding. People are becoming increasingly self-centred, leading to a decline in sensitivity toward others’ struggles and perspectives. Respect for diversity—be it cultural, religious, or ideological—is waning, replaced by rigid mindsets and an unwillingness to engage in meaningful dialogue. This moral decline is evident in the growing instances of online bullying, communal tensions, and insensitive public behavior. A society that lacks empathy breeds isolation, mistrust, and hostility, especially toward vulnerable groups. Restoring a strong moral foundation through value-based education, family upbringing, and community engagement is essential. Without compassion and understanding, society risks becoming increasingly fragmented and unjust, where hatred is normalized and humanity is lost.
- Polarised Politics and Identity-Based Narratives
In recent years, political discourse has increasingly leaned on polarisation, where parties draw sharp lines between communities based on religion, caste, language, or ethnicity. This strategy thrives on deepening existing social divisions to create vote banks. Instead of uniting people around common development goals, political actors deliberately invoke historical grievances, social insecurities, or religious sentiments to evoke emotional responses. Slogans, campaigns, and social media are often used to vilify certain groups or to present one community as superior or victimised. This “us vs them” mentality cultivates mistrust, fear, and even violence among communities that have coexisted for generations. It derails the democratic process by shifting the focus away from governance, public welfare, and economic progress. Young voters, especially, are at risk of being influenced by these identity-based narratives, often without a critical understanding of their long-term consequences. True democratic participation requires resisting such divisive rhetoric and focusing on issues that unite society.
- Weak Implementation of Laws
India has a robust legal framework to address hate speech and discriminatory actions, including provisions in the Indian Penal Code and laws like the Representation of the People Act. However, the problem lies not in the absence of laws but in their weak and inconsistent implementation. Many hate speech cases are not registered promptly, and even when they are, investigations are often delayed or conducted half-heartedly. Political interference, lack of accountability in law enforcement, and judicial backlog further contribute to inaction. As a result, many offenders go unpunished, while victims are left without justice. This creates a dangerous precedent, where individuals feel emboldened to repeat such actions, knowing they are unlikely to face consequences. Selective enforcement, especially when influenced by political bias, erodes public trust in democratic institutions and the rule of law. For laws to serve their purpose, timely, impartial, and strict enforcement is essential to deter hate and uphold justice.
- Easy Access to Technology and Anonymity
The rapid expansion of technology and social media has drastically changed how people communicate and express opinions. While these platforms offer opportunities for connection and dialogue, they have also become breeding grounds for hate speech and misinformation. One of the key issues is anonymity—individuals can create fake profiles and spread hateful, offensive, or polarising content without revealing their identity. This sense of invisibility often removes the fear of consequences, encouraging more aggressive and harmful behavior. Moreover, the lack of stringent regulation and real-time monitoring means that such content frequently goes unchecked or is removed too late. Algorithms on these platforms may even amplify divisive content because they generate more engagement. As a result, social media becomes a tool for spreading hatred, deepening divisions, and inciting real-world violence. Addressing this challenge requires stronger regulation, responsible digital citizenship, and platform accountability to ensure that technology empowers rather than endangers society.
- Lack of Awareness and Digital Literacy
A significant contributor to the spread of hate speech and misinformation is the lack of awareness and digital literacy among the public. Many people are unable to distinguish between freedom of speech—a fundamental democratic right—and hate speech, which incites violence, discrimination, or hostility against individuals or communities. This confusion often leads people to justify offensive or harmful statements as mere “opinions.” Additionally, a large segment of the population struggles to identify fake news, manipulated content, and biased narratives that are widely circulated on social media. Without critical thinking skills or fact-checking habits, individuals become easy targets for propaganda and are more likely to share harmful content unknowingly. This lack of digital literacy fuels intolerance and polarisation, especially among youth and rural populations. Promoting awareness about responsible online behaviour, media ethics, and critical evaluation of the information is essential to building a more informed and tolerant society in the digital age.
- Cultural Normalisation of Prejudice
Prejudice in India is often subtly ingrained and reinforced through everyday cultural practices, language, and media. Deep-rooted casteism, sexism, racism, and homophobia are not always expressed violently but are normalized in seemingly harmless ways—through jokes, slurs, stereotypes, and biased attitudes that are passed down across generations. Children grow up hearing derogatory remarks in homes, classrooms, and community spaces, absorbing these beliefs as normal. Films and television often portray certain communities, genders, or sexual identities in demeaning or limiting ways, further shaping public perception. This silent reinforcement conditions people to accept inequality and discrimination without questioning it. As a result, systemic bias becomes a part of social behavior, making it harder to recognize or challenge. Breaking this cycle requires conscious efforts in education, media representation, and public discourse to promote empathy, inclusion, and respect for diversity. Unless these deeply embedded attitudes are addressed, true equality will remain out of reach.
What Can Be Done?
Online hate speech in India is addressed under the Information Technology Act of 2000, the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which prohibit the promotion of enmity, hatred, and inflammatory content. Victims can file complaints, request content removal, and approach courts or Human Rights Commissions. In severe cases, writ petitions can be filed in High Courts (Article 226) or the Supreme Court (Article 32) to enforce fundamental rights.
However, the real challenge goes beyond legal measures—it is deeply political, social, and cultural. The core issue lies in the mindset that permits hate to thrive. This raises a critical question: has our education system failed to instil empathy, tolerance, and critical thinking? To truly counter hate, we must invest in holistic education, digital literacy, awareness programs, and value-based learning that promote inclusion, respect, and active citizenship. Changing minds is the first step toward changing society.
Values must be instilled in individuals so they consider the consequences of their words before expressing them. Freedom of expression is a right—but the freedom to harm others is not. Words hold power—they can build bridges or burn them. In today’s world, choosing kindness, truth, and respect is not only ideal—it is urgent. Let’s use our right to expression wisely to create a better world.
