Hate Speech – When expression turns dangerous

• Limits on speech? The goal of hate speech regulations is not to impinge on free expression. However, there are examples of incitement over social media channels leading to violence and even deaths. Therefore, you must carefully monitor comments on your feeds, especially if there are underlying tensions in your community. Content on your social media sites that contain racial, ethnic, sexual, religious and physical disability slurs should not be tolerated.

• Individual decisions: The definition of hate speech must take into account a country's historical and political experience. There can be a fine line between unpleasant insults online and hate speech – your station must decide this. If someone expresses a strong opinion, perhaps engaging in a dialogue can be productive.

However, any posts that advocate national, ethnical, racial or religious hatred that incite discrimination, hostility or violence should be taken down immediately. If necessary, users should be blocked from your station's social media sites, perhaps even reported to the platforms. If you're unclear about action to take, talk to your station manager or director, who should have the final say.
 

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Responsiveness – Answering your audience

Dialogue is the basis of all social media work, so a healthy and honest online conversation with readers is essential. Answer quickly, always be thoughtful and friendly when you reply to your audience.