Online Hate Speech as a Moral Issue: Exploring Moral Reasoning of Young Italian Users on Social Network Sites

Abstract

Taking a neo-Kohlbergian approach, we explore the moral reasoning of 486 young Italian users of social network sites exposed to moral dilemmas concerning online hate speech. The aims are to understand what moral reasoning schemas they use as they face homophobic, racist, or sexist online hate speech, and what influence personal values and moral disengagement might have on their moral reasoning process. The results reveal the prevalence of Maintaining Norms reasoning (conformity to rules and authority) in making moral decisions concerning online hate speech and confirms the mediating role of Hate Speech Moral Disengagement in the relationship between personal values and the moral reasoning process.