The map above shows the origins of hate speech, in particular the use of homophobic language used on Twitter.
A project by Dr. Monica Stephens of Humboldt State University is to map the locations of hate speech from around the country. Stephens and her team analyzed over 150,000 tweets and categorized the language used into three categories: homophobic, racist and disability. The interactive website allows users to look at the map of hate based on type of language and specific words used, such as faggot or cripple.
The project is similar to NoHomophobes.com. The site, created by University of Alberta, tracked the use of gay slurs on Twitter.
tdx3fan
You mean to tell me the states that have a higher population (other than California) actually have more people using hate speech. Maybe that is because they simply have more people in general. Who knew!
the other Greg
@tdx3fan: You need to learn to read maps. That’s not what it says at all!
ouragannyc
the map has no legend. How do we know what’s red and what’s blue?
In case red is hate, I see some red coming out of New England…
the other Greg
@ouragannyc: I’ve seen this map elsewhere – red is the “intense” hate and blue is the less intense.
Yes – Bangor, Maine. To the left I see that Great Red Spot in the Adirondacks of upstate NY (meth-head, toothless inbred hillbillies with Yankee accents). But oh dear, it seems to slop over into the oh-so-liberal PC ex-Republic of Vermont. Maybe we won’t drive to Montreal after all this summer!
boring
Holy fuck, the entire east side looks like Rush Limbaugh’s coronary angiogram, what the fuck, guys?
MikeE
@ouragannyc: Have you ever considered following a link to see the complete picture? Doesn’t it strike you as odd that the mop above does not show the entire country?
If you follow the link you will see the complete ma, which includes a legend to the colours and what they mean.
doug105
For a truer account you need to zoom in Florida has almost when you look up close, but suddenly is covered with it as you zoom out.
doug105
Has almost no red that is.
ouragannyc
@the other Greg:
thanks, Greg.
ouragannyc
@MikeE:
Why u yelling papi?
wakeupscreaming
I’d like to know what words they are tracking – and is it just English?
The comment above me says it all – what if its homophobic spanish tweets? I live in Vancouver Canada, and we have a significant Chinese/indonesian/south Asian population. Many anti-gay measures come from them, but they wouldn’t even bother with English with their private tweets.
Ricky
Shocking. *Ahem*
jfabz
Since data for this graph is merely data mined, it doesn’t discriminate hate speech from local vernacular. I mean, how many gays refer to themselves cheekily as queens, homos, etc… Same with the N-word.
Also, the more you zoom in, you can see how localized these “hate” speeches actually occurred in.