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#No2Sectarianism: Experimental Approaches to Reducing Sectarian Hate Speech Online

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  • SIEGEL, ALEXANDRA A.
  • BADAAN, VIVIENNE

Abstract

We use an experiment across the Arab Twittersphere and a nationally representative survey experiment in Lebanon to evaluate what types of counter-speech interventions are most effective in reducing sectarian hate speech online. We explore whether and to what extent messages priming common national identity or common religious identity, with and without elite endorsements, decrease the use of hostile anti-outgroup language. We find that elite-endorsed messages that prime common religious identity are the most consistently effective in reducing the spread of sectarian hate speech. Our results provide suggestive evidence that religious elites may play an important role as social referents—alerting individuals to social norms of acceptable behavior. By randomly assigning counter-speech treatments to actual producers of online hate speech and experimentally evaluating the effectiveness of these messages on a representative sample of citizens that might be incidentally exposed to such language, this work offers insights for researchers and policymakers on avenues for combating harmful rhetoric on and offline.

Suggested Citation

  • Siegel, Alexandra A. & Badaan, Vivienne, 2020. "#No2Sectarianism: Experimental Approaches to Reducing Sectarian Hate Speech Online," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 114(3), pages 837-855, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:114:y:2020:i:3:p:837-855_15
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    Cited by:

    1. Steven Windisch & Susann Wiedlitzka & Ajima Olaghere & Elizabeth Jenaway, 2022. "Online interventions for reducing hate speech and cyberhate: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(2), June.
    2. Jiménez-Durán, Rafael, 2022. "The economics of content moderation: Theory and experimental evidence from hate speech on Twitter," Working Papers 324, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State.
    3. Guy Aridor & Rafael Jiménez-Durán & Ro'ee Levy & Lena Song, 2024. "The Economics of Social Media," CESifo Working Paper Series 10934, CESifo.
    4. Rafael Jimenez-Duran, 2021. "The Economics of Content Moderation: Theory and Experimental Evidence from Hate Speech on Twitter," Natural Field Experiments 00754, The Field Experiments Website.
    5. Walk,Erin Elizabeth & Garimella,Kiran & Christia,Fotini, 2022. "Displacement and Return in the Internet Era : How Social Media Captures Migration Decisionsin Northern Syria," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10024, The World Bank.
    6. Grossman, Allison N. & Nomikos, William George & Siddiqui, Niloufer, 2021. "Can Appeals For Peace Promote Tolerance and Mitigate Support for Extremism? Evidence from an Experiment with Adolescents in Burkina Faso," OSF Preprints 49na5, Center for Open Science.
    7. Steven Windisch & Susann Wiedlitzka & Ajima Olaghere, 2021. "PROTOCOL: Online interventions for reducing hate speech and cyberhate: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(1), March.

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