We must stand up and fight the online hate

Jo Cox, MP for Batley and Spen, was brutally murdered four years ago in Birstall - about five minutes away from where I live.

For those who don’t know Birstall, it is a quiet and largely unassuming place to live. Hate crimes have no place here. 

Growing up you hear about terrorist incidents elsewhere but there is a strange comfort in believing that you are safe at home because nothing like that will ever happen.

That’s how I felt and, looking back at my own naivety, it’s almost comical, because my home town was torn apart by a horrific crime.

In the days that followed, I attended a memorial service at St Peter’s Church and watched flowers pile up in the village centre.

Grief spread as the community pulled together to rebuild.

In the wake of Coronavirus, I saw my community come together once more to fight a different battle. 

A support group was set up to give out care packages and Cobbles Cafe held a food share every Thursday. I’m incredibly proud of Birstall. 

However, lockdown has seen us spend an increasing amount of time online and, as a result, online abuse has skyrocketed. 

In May, it was revealed that Facebook removed 9.6 million hate speech posts in the first quarter of 2020. Most hate online is directed towards minority groups, such as Jewish and LGBT+ communities, who are being used as ‘Coronavirus scapegoats’.

Such communities have therefore been unfairly criticised and blamed for the rising number of coronavirus cases. 

Whilst communities have come together during the pandemic, this contrasts sharply with the continual out-pouring of hate online. 

Someone who was on the receiving end of this hate was MP Tracy Brabin who faced criticism online due to her choice of outfit (an off-the- shoulder dress).

The debate surrounding her dress is a stark reminder of the scrutiny that women have to contend with online. Ms Brabin remained positive, however, by auctioning off the dress to raise £20,000 for Girlguiding UK. By facing up to online hate, Ms Brabin proved that keyboard warriors do not reflect the public mood. 

To end online abuse, you must stand up to it. This isn’t an easy task, however, with such confusing guidelines on different social media platforms.

This is why the Yorkshire Evening Post recently launched a campaign to call out the hate directed towards journalists.

Being behind a keyboard gives everyone a sense of freedom, but some take that freedom too far, causing immense emotional turmoil. 

Standing up to all forms of hate is difficult and requires a great deal of strength. However, we must fight such hate to create a safer space for us all.