Racism on the Internet
Racism on the Internet, also called cyber-racism, is when online spaces are used to attack people because of their race. It includes racist jokes, name-calling, harassment, hate speech, stereotypes, and calls to exclude or harm groups. Online racism can hurt just as much as racism you might hear in person.
What makes cyber-racism different is that the Internet makes it easier to be anonymous and reach lots of people quickly. Some tech companies worry about free speech and don’t act as quickly as some people would like, while others say online hate needs to be stopped.
Racist ideas show up online in many ways:
- Stereotypes and jokes that stereotype whole races, like portraying Nigerians as scammers.
- Blackface and “blackfishing,” where non-Black people imitate Black appearance or features online.
- Old and new forms of racist imagery in memes and GIFs.
- Memes and symbols used by alt-right and white-supremacist groups to spread their views.
Algorithms also help cyber-racism spread. They learn from biased data and can show people more of the same biased content. This can reinforce harmful ideas, influence what people search for, and push racist sites or ads to more users.
Experts say we should study not just individuals who post racist content, but also how racism is built into technology and systems. If data, search results, and online platforms are biased, they can keep spreading racism even without people intending to.
In places like Australia, there are laws against racial vilification online. These laws treat racist online conduct as serious offenses and can apply to what people post on the Internet. There have been legal actions related to online content, including cases involving access to racist material on websites.
In short, cyber-racism harms people just as offline racism does. Combating it requires addressing everyday hate, the design of technology and search systems, and the laws that govern online behavior.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:20 (CET).