Beyond Blocking: 5 Tips for Disrupting Hate When Religion Shows Up Online

One of the main purposes of going online as an interfaith leader is to engage with and learn from people who are different from you. Interfaith leaders hope to model and create positive ways to be in community with others online – whether in a brief interaction or ongoing conversation.

Unfortunately, far too many people experience hate online and are targeted for their religious beliefs or identities. A recent report from the Pew Research Center suggests that as many as 4 in 10 Americans have experienced some form of online harassment, and 1 in 5 of those who have been harassed online believe they were targeted for their religious identity.

Countering Hate Online & Showing Solidarity

Each person online has an opportunity – and even an obligation – to develop strategies for identifying and disrupting online hate when we can do so in a way that does not compromise our own safety. Sometimes this is called “counter speech.”