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Imagine sharing a post on your personal social media account about an injustice, only to find yourself facing harassment, intimidation, or even threats. What do you do when raising your voice makes you a target?
In this article, as a part of the No Hate Embassy (NHE) project, our NHE Italy Fellows walk you through essential things you need to know about hate speech and silencing, and what practical steps to take if it happens to you or someone you know.
For this article, the word “activist(s)” is used to refer to anyone who uses their voice or platform to speak about injustices, even if you would not normally consider yourself one. In the Italian translations, the English word “silencing” was chosen to reflect the subtler pressures that aim to suppress people, as opposed to the Italian word for censorship.
Here are nine things to keep in mind about silencing and hate speech:
1. How do I know if I am being silenced?
1. How do I know if I am being silenced?
Silencing doesn’t always come with loud alarms or official warnings. It often manifests itself in subtle ways, disguised as “neutrality,” “civility,” or even “safety.” You may be experiencing silencing if, after expressing a political opinion or sharing a personal story of injustice, you suddenly experience a wave of coordinated hate or threats. This isn’t just random trolling. It’s a deliberate tactic to intimidate and push you into silence.
Another common method is mass reporting your posts on social media, resulting in content removal or even account suspension, not because of hate speech, but because someone didn’t like what you said. You may also be gradually excluded from discussions, removed from projects or distanced from peers or institutions because of your political stance or identity.
In some cases, the pressure is more direct: a superior might warn you to avoid “controversial” topics, or an institution might ask you to remain silent “for the sake of harmony” You may be told that your concerns are “too political",” “divisive” or simply “not the right time” These are not neutral statements - they are calculated ways to disempower your voice. At its core, silencing is not about protecting the well-being of others. It’s about maintaining the power structures that your voice threatens to disrupt.
2. What is the difference between hate speech and being silenced?
2. What is the difference between hate speech and being silenced?
Hate speech and being silenced are concepts that are often confused, yet they reflect two opposing dynamics of power. Hate speech refers to expressions that “advocate, incite, promote or justify hatred, violence and discrimination” against individuals or groups based on identity factors such as race, gender, or religion (Council of Europe, 2022). It is not protected as free speech under international law for its potential to incite harm. António Guterres, current secretary-general of the United Nations, asserted, “Addressing hate speech does not mean limiting or prohibiting freedom of speech. It means keeping hate speech from escalating into something more dangerous” (United Nations, 2019).
In contrast, being silenced often targets those who speak out against injustice— more often than not, on social media platforms— by discrediting or excluding them. This structural silencing can occur when personal testimonies of trauma are dismissed as “emotional manipulation” or “self-interest,” rather than being acknowledged as part of collective justice efforts (Boyce Kay, 2023). Thus, while hate speech upholds oppressive systems, silencing often punishes those challenging them.
3. What can I do if I’m being silenced for speaking out?
3. What can I do if I’m being silenced for speaking out?
If one is silenced or excluded for expressing views on social injustice, they need to understand both their rights and the structural forces behind the silencing. As the Council of Europe notes, structural violence often manifests through systems that “enslave, intimidate, and abuse dissenters” (Council of Europe, 2025). Silencing activism can be a form of such violence, mostly when it challenges inequality.
Above all, being silenced is not a failure. As the UN affirms, “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights” (UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, Art. 1). Speaking out is a human right— even when institutions try to suppress it.
4: What legal or institutional support mechanisms exist (or should exist) for activists experiencing backlash?
4: What legal or institutional support mechanisms exist (or should exist) for activists experiencing backlash?
In Italy, legal protections against hate speech and ideological harassment are generally available through the penal code, such as Article 595 (defamation) or Article 604-bis (propaganda and incitement to hatred based on ethnicity, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation). However, these do not refer to the specific needs of activists who face organized online or offline backlash, especially when the harassment is gendered, racialized, or politically motivated. Currently, no institutional body exists specifically to support activists experiencing hate speech or reputational attacks.
When it comes to politically motivated backlash in a working environment, things get even more difficult. In fact, when a worker experiences backlash due to their personal beliefs or political opinions, legal support mechanisms are scarce. For example, one may turn to the internal HR department, but these channels are often unwilling or unable to deal with political or identity-related backlash, especially when it originates from authority figures within the workplace, as addressing it might jeopardize HR employees' own positions. Alternatives may include external channels such as trade unions or labour courts; however, in both cases, it can take a long time to gain recognition of the issue. Moreover, these processes often require significant financial and time resources, not to mention the emotional toll on those who choose to speak up against the perpetrators.
However, some support may come from other sources, such as independent organizations and NGOs, like Amnesty Italia or Rete Nazionale per il Contrasto ai Discorsi e ai Fenomeni d'Odio, or independent legal collectives that offer free support in case of injustice episodes. If it’s true that a National Office of Racial Anti Discrimination (UNAR) exists within the Italian Ministry of Equal Opportunities, it’s also true that in case the ideological aggression lies outside the racialized discourse, this institution might not be able to provide adequate support.
EU-level studies have highlighted similar problems at a wider level: hate-speech protections tend to be limited to specific traditional grounds (i.e. race, nationality, religion), while gender, political opinion, or activism rarely receive adequate legal coverage. Moreover, a European Parliament-backed Commission proposal (2021) to expand the list of EU crimes under Article 83(1) TFEU to account for all forms of hate speech and hate crime - including political or gender-motivated harassment - remains pending, blocked by lack of unanimity among Member States.
What is really missing in the Italian context is a publicly funded legal defense institution supporting activists or workers facing this kind of backlash, dedicated offices within the companies to monitor hate campaigns and laws that persecute gendered or politically motivated silencing acts both online and offline. But, most of all, Italy is missing a defined and universally shared recognition of hate speech as a tool of silencing and sabotaging both personal lives and careers.
In short, while laws against hate exist, they’re not enforced or structured in ways that truly protect activist voices, especially those from marginalized communities. This reflects a broader European issue, where inadequate legal frameworks and lack of enforcement leave many without meaningful protection.
5: How could these mechanisms better protect individuals facing discrimination due to their activism?
5: How could these mechanisms better protect individuals facing discrimination due to their activism?
First of all, the existing institutions should broaden their legal framework in order to include forms of discourse in the hate speech definition which refer to gender, forms of personal activism, and political beliefs. In addition, recognizing backlash against activism as a distinct form of discrimination or repression could be a start, even though it would necessarily require the creation of specific legal protections and a national body tasked specifically with protecting activists and marginalized voices from harassment, both online and offline, with an intersectional approach, that is, recognizing the compounding effects of racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.
Moreover, as said before, a publicly funded legal defense or a solidarity legal fund for those who face threats would be useful, or alternatively, the government and institutions should promote partnerships between NGOs, lawyers, and unions in order to create accessible legal support networks. Another improvement could concern mandatory reforms within HR departments, which might be responsible for monitoring and denouncing political and identity-based harassment. As it concerns non-working environments, public campaigns and educational programmes may represent a preventive tool for containing hate speech-related silencing episodes. Unfortunately, silencing activists, workers, or public figures represents a form of political violence that serves governmental interests, and that’s the reason why all this might seem way too utopic. If one has to face reality for what it is, community and reciprocal support through informal groups and organizations might be, at least for now, the only way to overcome the struggle of being silenced for personal beliefs.
6: What are my digital rights as a student, intern, or employee when it comes to political expression online? (In international settings)
6: What are my digital rights as a student, intern, or employee when it comes to political expression online? (In international settings)
In Italy, your digital rights as a student, intern, or employee are protected by national laws and European regulations. Here are the most important ones:
1) Freedom of expression
Article 21 of the Italian Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of expression, including online. However, institutions (universities, companies) can impose restrictions if content is deemed offensive, discriminatory, or damaging to the image; this must follow due legal procedures by:
• Codes of conduct (at universities or workplaces)
• Laws against hate speech
• Confidentiality or loyalty clauses (especially for employees)
2) Right to digital privacy
Under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), your employer or university is not allowed to access your personal accounts or monitor your private digital activities without your consent or legal justification. You have the right to know what data is collected about you and to request its correction or deletion.
3) Protection against discrimination
Italian labour law protects individuals from discrimination based on political opinion, ethnicity, gender or activism. If you are subject to disciplinary action because of your online comments, you have the right to a transparent procedure: You must be informed, be able to defend yourself, and challenge the decision.
4) Protection for whistleblowers
Legislative Decree 24/2023 protects whistleblowers in both the public and private sectors. If you report misconduct or raise ethical concerns, your identity and rights must be protected.
5) Right to protest and organise
Students and employees have the right to peacefully protest and organise to defend their rights, including online campaigns or public statements.
7: What should I do if I feel alone?
7: What should I do if I feel alone?
First of all, you must recognise the validity of your emotions. Feeling angry, disappointed, sad, and lonely is legitimate and understandable. Specifically, to overcome the sense of loneliness resulting from an episode of silencing, you could seek comfort and support from your primary circle. Ask yourself: Is there anyone among my friends or family who could listen to me without judging me?
Secondly, precisely because we are talking about a potentially painful experience that could trigger emotional responses connected to other issues, it is important to remember that therapy is always an option.
There are different types of therapy and different approaches to choose from, depending on your needs and motivations for starting this therapy process.
On the other hand, a therapeutic path is fully integrated into our type of society and therefore remains an individual response to problems. It is important to remember that an attempt at silencing occurs when those in a position of power over you feel threatened. It is through horizontal organisation and meeting with other individuals that you can build a response that is not only valid against the sense of isolation, but also a form of collective action against the structure itself.
8. What can I do if I witness someone being silenced or targeted for speaking out?
8. What can I do if I witness someone being silenced or targeted for speaking out?
If you witness someone being silenced, show solidarity, privately or publicly, if it’s safe and you feel comfortable. Let them know they’re not alone. Encourage them to document the incident in detail, especially if it involves threats, discrimination, or defamation. In Italy, this could support legal action under protections granted by the national constitution. If possible, help them find legal assistance. This can be through the Polizia Postale if the act happened online or organizations like UNAR (Ufficio Nazionale Antidiscriminazioni Razziali) for cases involving racially based hate or discrimination. Solidarity and supporting someone in accessing their rights is a vital act of resistance against attempts to suppress freedom of expression.
REFERENCES
REFERENCES
Council of Europe. (2022). Hate speech and violence. Retrieved from https://www.coe.int/en/web/european-commission-against-racism-and-intolerance/hate-speech-and-violence
United Nations. (2019). Hate speech versus freedom of speech. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/en/hate-speech/understanding-hate-speech/hate-speech-versus-freedom-of-speech
Boyce Kay, J. (2023). The politics of the traumatised voice. In J. Boyce Kay (Ed.), The feminist politics of social media (pp. 191–204). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003200871-22
Animal Legal Defense Fund. (2025). Legal guide for activists. Retrieved from https://aldf.org/project/legal-guide-for-activists/
Council of Europe. (2025). Peace and violence. In COMPASS: Manual for Human Rights Education with Young People. Retrieved from https://www.coe.int/en/web/compass/peace-and-violence
United Nations. (1998). Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Article 1.
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