Researchers from Porto developed computer tools to fight hate on social media

Researchers from Porto are designing software that will enable media firms to automatically identify hate speech on online posted comments.

The main goal of the Stop PropagHate Project, which involves a funding of around 50,000 euros by Google, is to contribute to a better understanding of the hate speech, in the case of online journalism and to create computerised tools that would minimise it, according to researchers Sérgio Nunes and Paula Fortuna, from do Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering of Porto (INESC Porto).

Information gathered through this project will be of vital importance to measuring the existence of hate speeches on a platform and eliminating such remarks from social networks.

It will also allow to sort the information and to establish a "select page last shown" function regarding the user, thus raising awareness on the issue of hate speeches, which has been expanding on online communication with harmful consequences both for the targeted people and society at large.