How easy it is to hate on the net: who the haters are and why they do it

Abstract

The phenomenon of cyberhate is one of the most obvious side effects of the advent of social network. According
to an analysis conducted by Amnesty International in 2022, the phenomenon is widespread and steadily
increasing.
This paper aims to focus on the personality of online haters and their motives for doing so.
Together with the intrinsic characteristics of the web, such as anonymity, physical absence, asynchrony and
the consequent difficulty in containing the phenomenon, the personological characteristics of the individual
and the desires for approval and social identification contribute to the spread of cyberhate.
At the end of this work we will try to propose new strategies to intervene on the phenomenon, intercepting
haters and supporting victims. However, the most effective solution remains prevention in childhood: particularly
if it focuses on strengthening victims' coping strategies and on the digital and emotional literacy of
potential haters.