Cyberviolence in the Age of Digital Hate

The purpose of this article is to characterize cyberviolence in the age of digital hate. Combined with hate, cyberviolence uses the anonymity, borderlessness, and contagious nature of the Internet to exploit the situation, characteristics, or vulnerabilities of the target to promote prejudice or discrimination, with the effect of violating the physical, psychological, and emotional well-being of individuals and groups with similar characteristics. In recent years, cyberviolence has become increasingly sophisticated as a form of micro-domination to deflect criticism of hate. We are also seeing the rise of online extremism, the violent expression of collective feelings of hate through online communities, and the commodification of cyberviolence, where hate becomes a capitalist tool for profit. As cyberviolence continues to evolve and evade existing laws, it is difficult to regulate it through legislation alone. Therefore, a systematic and multifaceted approach that combines prevention and education with legal and policy protections is needed to combat cyberviolence.