Teenagers' hate speech spreads via Instagram, creating 'inaccessible public sphere'

The "virus-like" spread of hate speech among South Korean teenagers is largely being amplified through Instagram, a platform where algorithms can rapidly tailor content to users' interests, creating echo chambers of extreme viewpoints. "When a message is received, the algorithm keeps showing similar things," explained Moon Sung-ho, a 16-year-old student. "If one friend becomes interested in extreme claims, the surrounding algorithms quickly become similar."

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It's like a virus. Adults share posts or Reels with about 30 friends at once, like they do on KakaoTalk.

For teenagers, Instagram has become a primary source of news and information, often through accounts that present biased topics in visually stimulating, multi-card formats. These accounts, with tens of thousands of followers, have become the "mainstream media" for many teens. "I saw the Baejae High School article on Instagram. There are accounts that post news made with AI images," said Kim, a 14-year-old middle school student. "All my friends see the news through that." The platform's algorithm, which doesn't differentiate political leanings like Facebook does, can inadvertently expose young users to extreme content, including conspiracy theories like "election fraud."

Instagram's unique ecosystem presents challenges for content moderation. "YouTube has many operators aiming for monetization, so they are conscious of the yellow badge (ad revenue restrictions), but Instagram has fewer users for profit, so they are more uninhibited in spreading hate," noted Jeong Min-cheol, a policy official. This lack of stringent control, combined with the platform's emphasis on direct messaging (DM) as a primary communication tool for teens, facilitates the rapid dissemination of harmful content.

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When a message is received, the algorithm keeps showing similar things. If one friend becomes interested in extreme claims, the surrounding algorithms quickly become similar.

Compounding the issue is a disconnect between the digital world of teenagers and the understanding of adults. Many teachers and parents find it difficult to comprehend the "hate memes" circulating online. When they do try to intervene, their efforts are often met with dismissal or a lack of understanding. "Teachers either don't understand or just tell us not to do it as a joke. They don't want to disrupt the class atmosphere," said Kim, a 17-year-old high school student. This creates an "inaccessible public sphere" where the boundaries of acceptable discourse are constantly being pushed, with teenagers having learned about sensitive topics like the 5.18 movement primarily through social media rather than formal education.

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If you get called 'leftist' or 'pro-Moon Jae-in voter' the moment you point something out, it's like hate speech is already a 'consensus joke' in the classroom.

Experts warn that this unchecked spread of hate speech within youth online spaces requires a societal response. "The youth public sphere has moved to a situation where external intervention, let alone observation, is difficult," said Jeon Sang-jin, a sociology professor. "The level of hate speech that can be discussed within it has expanded indefinitely." He emphasized the need to consider what negative incentives can be offered society-wide to counteract this trend and what can replace the allure of hateful expressions.

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I saw the Baejae High School article on Instagram. There are accounts that post news made with AI images. All my friends see the news through that.