Empathy as the Antidote to Hate: What Research Shows
Hate speech online weakens social cohesion, restricts freedom of expression, and undermines democratic values. For young people, especially, repeated exposure to hostility can shape how they see others and how safe they feel expressing themselves.
The HATE-LESS project approaches this challenge with a clear goal: not only to raise awareness of hate speech, but to show what actually helps reduce it. Recent research confirms that empathy plays a decisive role.
Why empathy matters in countering hate
As part of the Stop Hate Speech project, researchers from ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich examined which forms of counterspeech are most effective when responding to hateful content online. Their findings challenge common assumptions.
In a 2021 field experiment involving over 1,300 Twitter (not X) users who had posted hateful messages, different response strategies were tested. The result was consistent and clear: only counterspeech that appealed to empathy for the people targeted by hate speech led to measurable behavior change.
Messages such as “This is very painful for Jewish people” or “Statements like this hurt migrants” were significantly more effective than humor, sarcasm, or warnings about consequences. Appeals that encouraged authors to reflect on the human impact of their words reduced the likelihood that they would continue posting hateful content.
As study lead Dominik Hangartner explains, there is no single solution to online hate, but some approaches demonstrably work better than others.
Empathy also influences bystanders
A follow-up study published in Nature Scientific Reports in 2025 expanded these findings. It showed that empathetic counterspeech not only affects the person being addressed; it also shapes how others react.
Users who were exposed to empathetic counterspeech, even when it was not directed at them, were less likely to like or amplify hateful comments. This reduced the reach and visibility of such content. Counterspeech that invited readers to put themselves in the position of the targeted group was particularly effective.
The researchers observed that messages encouraging perspective-taking helped bystanders draw parallels to their own experiences of exclusion or insult. This shift reduced passive support for hate speech and limited its spread.
From research to practice
These insights are central to the approach of the Public Discourse Foundation and its partners. Counterspeech that promotes empathy and perspective-shifting offers a constructive way to respond to hate without escalating conflict.
For HATE-LESS, this evidence reinforces a key principle: addressing hate is not only about naming what is wrong, but about modelling what works. Empathy is not a soft response; it is a strategic and evidence-based one.
By helping young people understand the emotional impact of words, and by encouraging them to consider how others experience exclusion or harm, we strengthen critical thinking and reduce pathways to radicalization.
Building healthier digital spaces
Empathy reframes the response to harmful behavior. Instead of shaming or threatening, it reconnects speech to its human consequences. Research shows that this approach can change behavior, reduce amplification, and support healthier online environments.
The HATE-LESS project continues to translate these findings into educational tools and communication strategies that support young people, educators, and institutions across Europe.
Because when empathy enters the conversation, hate loses ground.
Source: Source: ETH Zurich & University of Zurich. 2025. Confronting Hate with Empathy for those Affected.
