Hate is a strong word.

It's not strong enough for a lot of what's happening on social media every day.

There is insult, harassment and threats, and sometimes the haters encourage each other to such an extent that they even meet in front of their victims' front doors.

Youtuber Rainer Winkler, known as Drachenlord, has sold his house after being besieged by his tormentors for years.

He had previously been given a suspended sentence - he had physically assaulted two of them.

The Austrian doctor Lisa-Maria Kellermayr was targeted by opponents of vaccination.

She and the staff at her practice received death threats in countless messages over a period of months.

At the end of July, Kellermayr ended her life.

They prefer to censor themselves

Cases like this are just the sad tip of the iceberg.

They show that hate online is still not being countered decisively enough.

This is urgently needed.

Because digital hate messages become dangerous very early on.

Studies show that only a few users are personally affected by hate online.

But most have seen others fall victim to hate speech.

As a result, many of them do not dare to express their opinions, or only do so to a limited extent.

Your fear of becoming a victim of hate and hate speech is too great.

They prefer to censor themselves.

This is fatal for a democracy.

Because in the end, only those are left who don't shy away from threatening others to suppress unwelcome opinions - and those whose skin is thick enough to endure it.

Other perspectives, other realities of life thus disappear from the discourse.

And while inflammatory contributions remain unchallenged in the worst case, the deliberative ones are gradually lost.

Hate comments are not counter-opinions

Of course, no one should expect only applause when expressing their opinion publicly.

Headwinds, maybe even a stormy one at times, are part of a democracy.

Hate comments are not counter-opinions.

Nobody has to live with being insulted.

Nobody has to put up with news that threatens them or their own family.

Nobody has to put up with it when privacy is destroyed on the Internet.

Hate comments are violence.

An insult on Twitter must be punished in the same way as on the street, a threat in the e-mail inbox must be checked just as much as one in the mailbox.

The fact that this is often not the case is illustrated not only by statements made in the Kellermayr case.

The doctor was often advised to hold back.

A police spokesman even accused her of pomposity.

Togetherness is stronger

German counseling organizations such as Hate Aid also repeatedly report that those affected are not taken seriously by the police or that proceedings are dropped by the public prosecutor's office.

When the Greens politician Renate Künast went before the Berlin Superior Court three years ago to get the data of users who had insulted her, she suffered a defeat.

As a politician, she had to endure sharper attacks on her person, the court argued.

The Federal Constitutional Court rejected this argument in February as an "unjustified assertion".

But when politicians are attacked and only get their rights through nerve-wracking procedures, that is a deterrent for many who actually want to get involved.

Radical groups such as "lateral thinkers" and other extremists have long recognized this as their chance.

They target those who think differently in order to silence them.

Radio research back in 2018 showed how hate campaigns are systematically planned, especially in right-wing extremist circles.

But even the radical left scene does not shy away from outbreaks of violence when they come across what they consider to be an unwelcome statement.

Politics, society and the judiciary, but above all the platforms, must not give them this space.

This requires sensitivity.

Because where platforms control posts and delete them as a precaution, there is also a risk that legitimate posts will get lost.

But even a permanent contact person on Facebook and Co. could help those affected by hate and hate speech.

In addition, offers of help must be better financed and expanded.

Law enforcement agencies need to be made aware and adequately equipped.

Last but not least, solidarity with the victims is necessary.

When a shitstorm broke out over the Green Party leader Ricarda Lang in the spring, which was primarily aimed at her appearance, many politicians showed solidarity with her - across party lines.

Hate may be strong, togetherness is stronger.