Summer course on disinformation and democracy in Torres, Jaén: The worrying advance of hate speech in 2025
“Hate speech is a warning signal: the louder it sounds, the greater the threat of genocide. It precedes and promotes violence.” These words, expressed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, are increasingly resonating in every corner of the world.
The United Nations defines hate speech in its UN Strategy and Plan of Action to Combat Hate Speech as ‘any kind of communication, whether oral or written, – or behaviour – that attacks or uses derogatory or discriminatory language in reference to a person or group on the basis of who they are, in other words, on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, colour, descent, gender or other forms of identity.’ Even so, there is still no concrete definition in international human rights law, so the concept is still under continuous debate, in particular in relation to freedom of opinion and expression and non-discrimination and equality.
While hate speech is not new, nor is its devastating effect, in the digital age hate speech is spreading with alarming speed through social media, messaging platforms and online forums, affecting millions of people and eroding the foundations of respect, democratic coexistence and human rights. The impact of the spread of divisive ideologies and rhetoric can have devastating consequences, reminding us of past scenarios on which we built the foundations for peaceful coexistence.
However, this phenomenon is not only limited to the virtual realm: the hate that circulates in the digital environment has very real consequences. From physical aggression to social exclusion to violent radicalisation, hate speech acts as a breeding ground for discriminatory and extremist behaviour. Against this backdrop, it is essential not only to denounce, but also to understand the dynamics that fuel these discourses, and to equip ourselves with the tools to combat them effectively.
According to El Observatorio Español del Racismo y la Xenofobia (OBERAXE), in its first quarterly bulletin of 2025, focusing on the analysis of hate speech on social media during the period between 1 January and 31 March this year, a total of 551 publications with hate speech content were reported on various platforms, of which 118 were removed, representing 34% of the total. TikTok led the removals with 51%, followed by Facebook (22%), Instagram (18%), and both YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) with 5% each. In terms of reporting mechanisms, 10% of takedowns were handled through reports from ordinary users, while 24% were handled through trusted reporters or trusted flaggers.
In relation to the content monitored, 74% was directed against North Africans, 17% against Muslims, and the rest against people of African or African descent. More than half of these messages (54%) included expressions that seriously dehumanised or belittled people of foreign origin. In addition, 20% singled out these groups as a threat to society, 13% promoted their expulsion, and 7% contained direct or indirect incitement to violence towards migrants.
For all these reasons, and given the growing nature of this phenomenon, every 18 June is the International Day against Hate Speech, a date proclaimed by the United Nations to highlight the increase in messages promoting intolerance, racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, misogyny, homophobia and other forms of hatred around the world.
Moreover, hate speech is not an isolated phenomenon. It is often intertwined with disinformation, information manipulation and fake news, which find fertile ground in contexts of social polarisation and institutional crisis. Faced with this reality, education in critical thinking, access to truthful and contrasted information, and the promotion of democratic values and human rights are key tools to build a conscious and resilient citizenship in the face of hate speech.
Within this framework, the Baltasar Garzón International Foundation (FIBGAR) and the University of Jaén are organising the 19th edition of the Summer Course in Torres (Jaén): ‘Disinformation and democracy: challenges and solutions in the current context’, which will be held on 7 and 8 July 2025.
This course is presented as a space for reflection, analysis and learning about one of the great contemporary challenges: how to defend democracy in the face of information manipulation, organised hoaxes and hate speech that circulate in digital and physical environments.
Over two intensive days, the course will feature lectures, round tables and workshops led by professionals from the legal, academic, institutional and media spheres.
Beyond offering theoretical knowledge, the course aims to strengthen critical thinking, encourage citizen participation and generate concrete proposals to face the challenges posed by hate and disinformation in our societies. At a time in history when truth is often relegated to sensationalism and emotion, spaces like this course are essential to recover the value of informed dialogue and respect for diversity.
Book your place now for the classroom course ‘Disinformation and democracy’, on 7 and 8 July 2025 in Torres (Jaén): https://giepropias.ujaen.es/index.php?r=site%2Fficha-curso&id_estudio=1466
