ABSTRACT
Online hate has become a major concern in many Western societies, yet very few survey studies have focused on young people’s exposure to hateful or threatening online material. Online hate is disseminated by both organised hate groups and individuals who use a variety of the advantages of social media today. Findings based on cross-national data show that exposure to hate has become commonplace online. Online hate most often concerns issues of ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and physical appearance. Young people in the US and Finland face much more online hate than young people in Germany and the UK. Adolescents are more likely to witness online hate than young adults. Those who use Internet services intensively are more likely to be exposed to hate.
