Hate speech and discrimination increase 71% in Costa Rica during the last year

In recent years, hate speech, stigmatization, and discriminatory narratives have begun to surface on and off social media, creating an increasingly divisive and toxic atmosphere in the country.

This is the second investigation of its kind in Costa Rica. In the last year it was detected more than 937,000 messages and national social media conversations, linked to hate speech and discriminationcompared to the 548,000 detected in the previous periodwhich represents a 71% increase. This was determined by the new study on hate speech in social networks in Costa Rica 2021-2022, prepared jointly by the United Nations, the Digital Communication Observatory of the Communication Research Center of the UCR and the firm COES, a specialist in hate speech analysis. data.

To detect the more than 937,000 entries, groups of words were identified in public profiles and Facebook and Twitter pages that were categorized using Artificial Intelligence software, to geolocate them and classify them by age and gender. Subsequently, the information captured was processed through other computer tools to graph and visualize the data. The analysis period covers from May 1, 2021 to June 15, 2022.

The study also showed that 77% of the messages analyzed had the direct intention of offending, attacking and violating other groups or peoplewhich represents an increase of eight percentage points with respect to the previous period.

It was further found that the 64% of all hate and discrimination messages were issued by men.

Allegra Baiocchi, resident coordinator of the United Nations in Costa Rica, highlighted that the electoral campaign and the political issue promoted the significant growth that hate speech has had in Costa Rica:

“These data help us understand that we must combat the growing hate speech and discrimination. Politics and electoral processes must be spaces for solutions, creative and constructive dialogue and not a time for online hate, aggression and violence. We all have responsibilities, from the media, social media companies and political parties. Let us assume the commitment today to put an end to these messages that do not contribute to the strengthening of the social fabric and the necessary cohesion to achieve a more prosperous, secure Costa Rica with equal opportunities for all people”, said Baiocchi.

Fight hate in Costa Rica

The research made it possible to define that the three topics that most collect hate speech and discrimination are: politics and elections (350,000), sexual orientation (143,000), gender (125,000), xenophobia (112,000), generational clash (92,000), religion ( 53,000), racism (34,000) and disability (27,000).

The guide is part of Costa Rica Plan against hate speech and discriminationpresented in 2021 by the UN and which includes at least eight strategic areas of action, including the protection of victims and the strengthening of the rule of law.

This plan is promoted by the United Nations Office for the Prevention of Genocide and the responsibility to protect, the United Nations System in Costa Rica, the University of Costa Rica, the Bar Association, as well as state entities, academia , civil society and committed people.

UN Costa Rica/Danilo Mora

Women working in Alajuelita, San José (Costa Rica).

Most affected groups

According to a press release, people who participate and give their opinion about politics, the LGBTIQ+ population and women are the groups most affected by hate speech and discrimination

On the other hand, although they are not among the most affected groups, the exponential growth of hate speech on issues of disability, religion and generational clash is of concern.

The investigation located more than 937,000 conversations that contained this hate speech and discrimination, from profiles and public pages of Facebook and Twitter.

The figures that increased the most

UN Costa Rica

Expressions of hate and discrimination on disability increased by 2600%, on religion 1766%, and on generational clashes 1160%. Although these are not among the most frequent in social networks, this growing trend is alarming.

Allegra Baiocchi stated that it is essential to understand how they behave and what the trends are in expressions of hate and discrimination, but also to seek solutions to protect the people most affected by these manifestations.

The analysis by areas made it possible to establish trends and manifestations related to each particular case, which will allow, according to the United Nations, the establishment of differentiated action strategies:

• Politics and elections. Attacks on candidates and parties represented 79% of the total. Attacks on people for their ideological or political positions were 21%.
• sexual orientation The normalization of offensive words such as “playo” to refer to homosexuals is observed. Hate and discrimination messages related to male-male relationships represented 89%.
• Gender. Hate speech increased significantly between February and May, fueled by the 2022 elections. In recent weeks, there has been an impact from the coverage of the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard case. Strong attacks were detected on those who promote feminism, equality and women’s rights.
• Xenophobia. Nicaraguans are the most affected. The reactions refer negatively to the access to health services and social assistance of migrant populations. Discourses that link migrants with criminality are observed.
• generational shock. Messages enhanced by the political situation: the socioeconomic environment and human rights. Younger people tend to be more concerned about rights and older populations about economic recovery, which causes confrontation.
• Religion. Messages appear that relate religion to politics. The idea persists that religion should not be mixed with politics.
• Racism. Attacks on influencers who advocate human rights are detected, referring to the fact that “now everything is racism”. The highest volume of conversations occurs when the media publishes information about people of African descent.
• Disability. Pejorative terms such as “retarded and mongolian” are identified to offend, insult or refer to someone, even as adjectives to qualify oneself, when a mistake is made.

Legal guide to confronting hate speech

The United Nations Organization in Costa Rica and the Bar Association presented the first Legal guide to prevent and eradicate hate speech and discrimination in Costa Rica. The Communication Research Center of the UCR will give space and follow-up to the initiative.

It is a tool that seeks to encourage and strengthen the different initiatives for the prevention and eradication of hate speech and discrimination. With this document, both institutions intend to contribute in an integral way to the consolidation of the democratic social State and the Costa Rican right, as a fundamental condition to advance in the recognition and guarantee of the rights of all people in the Costa Rican territory.

The guide is made up of short segments that are easily accessible to all, with useful technical information to support various actions ranging from academic research to legal action, including the use of human rights mechanisms at the regional and international levels.

The UN coordinator explained that both the United Nations system and the Costa Rican Bar Association identified the need to work in a strategic alliance to enhance results in favor of human rights and peaceful coexistence in the country. “We hope that this instrument encourages the recognition of dialogue and diversity as essential values ​​in a democracy.”

For his part, Álvaro Sánchez, president of the Bar Association, pointed out that “this guide adds to the efforts that, in terms of human rights, we promote from our Association as a contributor to a more just society and to strengthen the culture of peace. in our country, and even beyond our borders”.

Production: Danilo Mora Díaz, Communications officer of the UN in Costa Rica.