The Politics of Digital Hate: Far-Right Extremism and Radicalisation in Social Media Ecosystems
Keywords:
Digital hate culture, Far-right extremism, Social media, Paranoid politics, Misogyny, Online harassment, Affective publicsAbstract
The rise of digital hate culture has become one of the most pressing challenges facing democratic societies in the age of social media. This paper argues that digital hate culture and far-right extremism flourish largely because of the democratic and participatory nature of social media platforms, which allow users to create, disseminate, and amplify content with minimal accountability. Drawing on Kaarina Nikunen’s theorization of inward-facing and outward-facing digital hate cultures and Michael Kimmel’s analysis of paranoid politics and angry white masculinity, the paper explores how affect, anonymity, and platform affordances facilitate the normalization of misogyny, racism, and anti-establishment ideologies. The study further examines how online spaces such as the manosphere, Men’s Rights Activist (MRA) communities, and far-right digital networks reproduce stereotypes, reinforce in-group/out-group dynamics, and mobilize emotions such as fear, rage, and resentment. By situating digital hate culture within broader debates on academic scholarship, free speech, and democratic values, the paper highlights the dangers of conflating discomfort with harm while also emphasizing the need for institutional safeguards and policy interventions. The conclusion advocates for a multi-pronged approach involving social media platforms, governments, educational institutions, and civil society to curb the spread of online hate without undermining democratic principles.
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