LIMITS OF HATE SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH ON MODERATED NEWS WEBSITES IN FINLAND, SWEDEN, THE NETHERLANDS AND THE UK

Abstract

The article discusses and compares the structure and moderation practices of comment fi elds on news websites in Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Great Britain. The focus is on the tension between freedom of speech and moderation of hate speech and cyberhate. The research data is comprised of interviews with 16 moderators along with analysis of comment fi eld structure and guidelines for moderation practices from 18 news websites. The news media actively prevents hate speech and cyberhate in ways that differ by country. Nonetheless, hate speech and cyberhate on news websites is similar in all countries and moderated based on three types of regulations: laws, media ethics and self-regulatory guidelines.