La libertad de expresión y el discurso de odio en el cantón Ibarra en el periodo 2020-2021, en los medios de comunicación digitales

Abstract

The digital era makes communication easier and opens new channels that produce a massive exchange of ideas and information, where the freedom of expression develops daily on a virtual environment. However, the access to this right implies responsibility from who sends the message, which is considered as hate speech when its content looks for ignoring equality and generating or promoting violence. The importance of this study lies in its visibility, so we can stop normalizing hate speech on a daily basis. The general objective was to establish the reaching of the freedom of expression when referring to the hate speech on Ibarra in the period of time 2020-2021, on digital media on the Facebook platform. In this project a qualitative approach was used, as a social and legal method and a comparative one. On the other hand, the techniques that helped to develop this project were study of cases and documental. Through the analysis of 1 254 comments from users on Facebook pages, related with the first case of coronavirus and the prison crisis, the investigation had as a result that hate speech is a limit to the freedom of expression right, because it interferes with the right to honor. The conclusion was that on digital media that generates repercussion on Ibarra, hate speech is used on Diario El Norte in a 43,15%, El Comercio in a 10,9 % y RTS in a 21,14 %, that mainly attack the government, politicians, public workers, the system of justice, inmates, people that were infected by coronavirus and foreign people.