2009/10/30 by Priscilla Marie Meddaugh, Jack Kay · 3 citations
Computer Science · Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · #Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection #Social Media and Politics #Rhetoric and Communication Studies
paper · doi:10.1080/08900520903320936
openalex publication_date 2009/10/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
We use the construct of the “other” to explore how hate operates rhetorically within the virtual conclave of Stormfront, credited as the first hate Web site. Through the Internet, white supremacists create a rhetorical vision that resonates with those who feel marginalized by contemporary political, social, and economic forces. However, as compared to previous studies of on-line white supremacist rhetoric, we show that Stormfront discourse appears less virulent and more palatable to the naive reader. We suggest that Stormfront provides a “cyber transition” between traditional hate speech and “reasonable racism,” a tempered discourse that emphasizes pseudo-rational discussions of race, and subsequently may cast a wider net in attracting audiences.