Digital hate speech experiences across age groups and their impact on well-being : a nationally representative survey in Switzerland

Stahel, Lea; Baier, Dirk

doi:10.1089/cyber.2022.0185

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Digital hate speech experiences across age groups and their impact on well-being : a nationally representative survey in Switzerland
Authors:	Stahel, Lea Baier, Dirk
et. al:	No
DOI:	10.1089/cyber.2022.0185
Published in:	Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking
Volume(Issue):	26
Issue:	7
Page(s):	519
Pages to:	526
Issue Date:	19-Jun-2023
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Mary Ann Liebert
ISSN:	2152-2715 2152-2723
Language:	English
Subjects:	Adult; Digital hate speech; Role; Survey; Vicarious victimization; Well-being
Subject (DDC):	302.2: Communication 302.23: Media
Abstract:	The growing challenge of digital hate speech requires an understanding of its complexity, scale, and impact. Research on experiencing digital hate speech has so far been limited to the roles of personal victim, observer, and perpetrator, with a focus on young people. However, research on hate crimes suggests that vicarious victimization may also be relevant due to its negative impacts. In addition, the lack of knowledge about the older generation neglects the fact that older people are increasingly seen as vulnerable to digital risks. Therefore, this study introduces vicarious victimization as an additional role in research on digital hate speech. Prevalence rates for the four roles are examined across the life span, using a nationally representative sample of adult Internet users in Switzerland. Additionally, all roles are correlated with life satisfaction and loneliness, two stable indicators of subjective well-being. The results show that in this national population, personal victimization and perpetration are less common (<7 percent), whereas observation and vicarious victimization are more common (>40 percent). Prevalence decreases with age in all roles. As expected, multivariate analyses show that both forms of victimization are negatively related to life satisfaction and positively related to loneliness, with these effects being stronger for personal victimization. Similarly, being an observer and being a perpetrator correlate negatively, but not significantly, with well-being. This study contributes to a theoretical and empirical distinction between personal and vicarious victims and provides insight into their effects on well-being in a population largely unexplored in terms of age and national representativeness.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/28169
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	Social Work
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Delinquency and Crime Prevention (IDK)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Soziale Arbeit

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Stahel, L., & Baier, D. (2023). Digital hate speech experiences across age groups and their impact on well-being : a nationally representative survey in Switzerland. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 26(7), 519–526. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2022.0185

Stahel, L. and Baier, D. (2023) ‘Digital hate speech experiences across age groups and their impact on well-being : a nationally representative survey in Switzerland’, Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 26(7), pp. 519–526. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2022.0185.

L. Stahel and D. Baier, “Digital hate speech experiences across age groups and their impact on well-being : a nationally representative survey in Switzerland,” Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, vol. 26, no. 7, pp. 519–526, Jun. 2023, doi: 10.1089/cyber.2022.0185.

STAHEL, Lea und Dirk BAIER, 2023. Digital hate speech experiences across age groups and their impact on well-being : a nationally representative survey in Switzerland. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. 19 Juni 2023. Bd. 26, Nr. 7, S. 519–526. DOI 10.1089/cyber.2022.0185

Stahel, Lea, and Dirk Baier. 2023. “Digital Hate Speech Experiences across Age Groups and Their Impact on Well-Being : A Nationally Representative Survey in Switzerland.” Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 26 (7): 519–26. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2022.0185.

Stahel, Lea, and Dirk Baier. “Digital Hate Speech Experiences across Age Groups and Their Impact on Well-Being : A Nationally Representative Survey in Switzerland.” Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, vol. 26, no. 7, June 2023, pp. 519–26, https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2022.0185.