Hate speech or free speech: an ethical dilemma?

ABSTRACT Freedom of expression is the cornerstone and the warrant of democracy, but like all other rights and freedoms we enjoy, also the right to free speech has its limits. Hate speech is one of the most resilient manifestations of cyberviolence, and is not to be equalled with free speech. This is partly related to our perception of the freedom of expression that has substantially changed through time; from the past focus on being able to freely express your opinion, to question, dissent and challenge the government, to today’s need to limit these rights in order to protect the targets of hate speech. The article first looks at how hate speech is defined at the level of the EU and at the problems connected with its regulation. It continues with an overview of relevant literature and research on the topic, and concludes by analyzing and interpreting the results of an online survey conducted among Slovenian university students in February 2022. Our goal is to understand the reasons behind the rise of hate speech and reactions to it; from its acceptability and underestimation to indifference and ignorance.