Spain to Create Tool to Monitor Social Media Hate Speech

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Wednesday the creation of a new tool named HODIO, aimed at tracking hate speech on social media and ensuring platforms are held accountable.

Speaking at a Madrid forum, Sanchez said the tool would allow authorities to “systematically measure the presence, evolution, and reach of hate speech on digital platforms” using “recognised academic criteria.” According to him, the tool will produce a report every six months, ranking social media platforms according to the Spanish Observatory of Racism and Xenophobia, which will oversee its implementation.

Sanchez added that the results would be made public to show “who stops hate, who looks away, and who makes a business out of hate.”

Spain to Create Tool to Monitor Social Media Hate Speech. Credit: Reuters.

He stressed that social media companies must now be held publicly accountable for the hateful content they permit, noting that hate crimes in Spain had risen by 41 per cent over the past decade.

“We will publicly display the results so that everyone knows who stops hate, who looks away and who makes a business out of hate,” said Sanchez.

“From now, I think social media must be held publicly accountable for every piece of hate content they allow.”

Sanchez, a vocal critic of big tech, has previously called tech executives “techno-oligarchs.” Earlier this year, he proposed banning social media use for under-16s, drawing criticism from X(formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk and Telegram founder Pavel Durov.

His government has also asked Spain’s public prosecutor to investigate X, Meta, and TikTok for potential offences linked to AI-generated child pornography.