The Phenomenon of Incitement to Hate Speech on Social Media and Its Relationship with Social Values: Facebook as a Model

Abstract

In light of recent developments in the educational sector, and the resulting tensions among its administrative and pedagogical groups (the educational community), conflicts over interests and centers of power have emerged. These conflicts are evident in public statements and especially through social media, notably Facebook. Such clashes can escalate into incitement and provocation, often fueled by hidden socio-cultural values and determinants, described by sociologist Merton as latent phenomena.

This article aims to study the social hierarchy of these values influencing the phenomenon on Facebook. A descriptive method and content analysis were used on a random sample of 151 comments from a Facebook page with 2,700 comments about the incident, ensuring neutrality and enhancing the credibility and generalizability of the study’s findings.