UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly raised his voice, urging action against the rising tide of hate flooding cyberspace. His call, addressed both to the technology companies that control digital platforms and to the world's governments, has resonated strongly at international summits, such as the one held in Brussels last March. However, the response obtained is more like an evasive silence than a real commitment to combat this modern scourge.
The root of the problem seems to lie in the very nature of the business model that prevails in the digital world. Large technological companies, with their insatiable desire to maximize profits, have found their main source of income in user attention. The longer we stay connected, the more content we consume and share, the more valuable we become as generators of data. This data, in turn, is the currency in a digital market where targeted advertising has become the main driver of the online economy.
En este contexto, la desinformación y el odio se presentan como herramientas perversamente eficaces para mantenernos «enganchados» a las pantallas. La viralidad, inherente a la naturaleza misma de las redes sociales, amplifica exponencialmente el alcance de mensajes cargados de odio, convirtiéndolos en un producto altamente rentable para estas empresas. No es de extrañar, entonces, que las palabras de Guterres caigan en saco roto frente a la lógica implacable del mercado.
On the other hand, the responsibility of combating this phenomenon cannot fall solely on companies. Governments, as guarantors of the well-being of their citizens, have the obligation to implement measures that protect the right to truthful information and a digital environment free of violence and discrimination. However, the government response has been, at best, timid and fragmented.
Various reasons explain this inaction. On the one hand, there is a legitimate fear of restricting freedom of expression, a fundamental right that must be protected at all costs. Finding the balance between individual freedom and collective responsibility in virtual space is presented as a complex challenge that requires deep debate and carefully calibrated solutions.
On the other hand, the global and decentralized nature of the Internet makes it difficult to enforce national laws and regulations. Online hate knows no borders, and any attempt to combat it effectively requires strong and coordinated international cooperation.
In this scenario, a paradigm shift is urgently needed. We must move towards an internet governance model that is capable of reconciling the interests of technology companies with social well-being. This implies, first of all, recognizing that self-regulation by companies has proven to be insufficient. It is necessary to establish clear and effective regulatory frameworks that establish limits on the amplification and spread of hate online, without restricting freedom of expression.
Secondly, greater investment in digital education is required. Providing citizens, especially new generations, with the necessary tools to identify and combat disinformation and hate speech online is essential to building a society more resilient to these threats.
Finally, it is essential to strengthen international cooperation to address a problem that transcends national borders. The creation of an international legal framework that regulates the responsibility of digital platforms in the fight against online hate is presented as a fundamental step in the right direction.
Online hate is not a technological problem, but a social one. These are not simply algorithms or lines of code, but people using these tools to amplify hate and discrimination. It is time for us to take collective responsibility to build a more inclusive, respectful and safe cyberspace for all. Silence, in the face of the rising tide of online hate, is no longer an option. The UN call to action must be the starting point for a global and effective response to this scourge of the 21st century.
Now the question that arises is: Will the Governments do something? Allow me to doubt it.
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