Counter-Speech On Israel-Hamas Conflict News Comments
Keywords:
counter-speech, hate speech, Israel-Hamas conflict, Instagram news comments
Abstract
Israel-Hamas conflict has been a worldwide issue and its news on social media raised various responses on the comment section. Counter-speech comments are found on Instagram in most of hate speech comments. The study aimed to determine the types of counter-speech’s exchanges and its strategy found on Instagram comment section towards Israel and Hamas conflict news also to investigate the perceptions of social group about Israel and Hamas. Campbell Kathrin's (2010) theory used to examine respondents' views based on social assessment and social identification and Susan's (2016) framework to classify counter-speech interactions and tactics/strategy used. Documentary was used by selecting the suitable data on BBC Instagram account’s comments which were counter-speech written in English and interview were done to seven respondents as Instagram users from Indonesia with the age category of 18 to 34 years. The result shows that: (1) two exchanges type of counter-speech used in the comment section conflict namely One-to-One and One-to-Many are commonly used in Instagram as its features support; (2) the counter-speech comment contained all strategy that was dominantly used Pointing Out Hypocrisy or Contradictions and Presentation of Facts to Correct Misstatements or Misperceptions; and (3) social identification plays a role in the perspective or interpretation especially Racial and Ethnic Identification while social evaluation is more impactful to the use of word choice or diction.
References
Alkiviadou, N. (2019). Hate speech on social media networks: Towards a regulatory framework? Information & Communications Technology Law 28(1) 19–35. https://doi.org/10.1 080/13600834.2018.1494417
Altun, Mustafa. (2023). The Power of Language: Exploring its Significance in Shaping Perceptions Beliefs and Relationships. International Journal of Social Sciences and Educational Studies. 10. 362-366. 10.23918/ijsses.v10i3p362.
Bahador, B. (2021). Countering hate speech. In H. Tumber & S. Waisbord (Eds.) The Routledge companion to media disinformation and populism (pp. 507–518). Routledge.
Benesch, S. (2016). Counterspeech on Twitter: A field study. In Dangerous Speech Project. Dangerous Speech Project. https://www.dangerousspeech.org/libraries/counterspeech-on-twitter-a-field-study:~:text=Our%20two%20year%20study%20of%20hateful%20speech%20and%20counterspeech%20on
Buerger, C. & Wright L. (2019). Counterspeech: A literature review. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3829816
Cepollaro, Bianca & Lepoutre Maxime & Simpson Robert. (2022). Counterspeech. Philosophy Compass. 18. 10.1111/phc3.12890.
Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research Design: Qualitative Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks CA: Sage Publications.
Deliana & Felicia Oscarb. (2020). The Use of Colloquial Singaporean English in ‘Speaking Singlish’ Comic Strips: A Syntactic Analysis. International Journal of Innovation Creativity and Change. Volume 12 Issue 12
Deliana, D. & Ganie R. (2024). Using debates in teaching speaking to EFL learners: Perceptions of English department students. Multidisciplinary Science Journal 7(1) 2025052. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2025052
Eddy, D. K. (n.d.). The changing news habits and attitudes of younger audiences. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2022/young-audiences-news-media
Erjavec, K. & Kova?i? M. P. (2012). “You don’t understand this is a new war!” Analysis of hate speech in news web sites’ comments. Mass Communication & Society 15(6) 899– 920. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2011.619679
Friess, D. Ziegele M. & Heinbach D. (2021). Collective civic moderation for deliberation? Exploring the links between citizens’ organized engagement in comment sections and the deliberative quality of online discussions. Political Communication 38(5) 624–646. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2020.1830322.
Gharaei, Nadya & Fleischmann Fenella & Phalet Karen. (2024). National Identity Development Among Minority Youth: Longitudinal Relations with National Fit Perceptions and School Belonging. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 53. 2746-2761. 10.1007/s10964-024-02036-0.
Howard, J. W. (2019). Free speech and hate speech. Annual Review of Political Science 22(1) 93–109. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-051517-012343
Kunst, M. Porten-Cheé P. Emmer M. & Eilders C. (2021). Do “Good Citizens” fight hate speech online? Effects of solidarity citizenship norms on user responses to hate comments. Journal of Information Technology & Politics 18 258–273. https://doi.org/10.1080/1933 1681.2020.1871149
Labov, W. (1966a) The Social Stratification of English in New York City. Washington DC: Center for Applied Linguistics
Labov, W. (2006) The Social Stratification of English in New York City. 2nd edn. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Lee, E.-J. Kim H. S. & Cho J. (2017). How user comments affect news processing and reality perception: Activation and refutation of regional prejudice. Communication Monographs 84(1) 75–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637751.2016.1231334
McDonald, P. Charlesworth S. & Graham T. (2016). Action or inaction: Bystander intervention in workplace sexual harassment. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 27(5) 548–566. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2015.1023331
NapoleonCat. Instagram users in Indonesia - February 2024. NapoleonCat. (n.d.). https://napoleoncat.com/stats/instagram-users-in-indonesia/2024/02/
Obermaier, M. Schmuck D. & Saleem M. (2023). I’ll be there for you? Effects of Islamophobic online hate speech and counter speech on Muslim in-group bystanders’ intention to intervene. New Media & Society 25 2339–2358. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211017527
Porten-Cheé, P. Kunst M. & Emmer M. (2020). Online civic intervention: A new form of political participation under the conditions of a disruptive online discourse. Journal of International Communication 14 514–534
Reichelmann, A. Hawdon J. Costello M. Ryan J. Blaya C. Llorent V. … Zych I. (2020). Hate Knows No Boundaries: Online Hate in Six Nations. Deviant Behavior 42(9) 1100–1111. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2020.1722337
Rieger, D. Kümpel A. S. Wich M. Kiening T. & Groh G. (2021). Assessing the extent and types of hate speech in fringe communities: A case study of alt-right communities on 8chan 4chan and Reddit. Social Media + Society 7(4) 1–14. https://doi.org/10 .1177/20563051211052906
Schäfer, Svenja & Rebasso Isabella & Boyer Ming & Planitzer Anna. (2023). Can We Counteract Hate? Effects of Online Hate Speech and Counter Speech on the Perception of Social Groups. Communication Research. 10.1177/00936502231201091.
Schäfer, Svenja Michael Sülflow and Liane Reiners. (2022). Hate Speech as an Indicator for the State of the Society. Journal of Media Psychology 2022 34:1 3-15
Sponholz, Liriam. (2017). Tackling Hate Speech with Counter Speech? Practices of Contradiction and their Effects.
Sponholz, L. (2023). Counter Speech: Practices of Contradiction on Hate Speech and their Effects. In: Febel G. Knopf K. Nonhoff M. (eds) Contradiction Studies – Exploring the Field. Contradiction Studies. Springer VS Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37784-7_5
Swart, J. (2023). Tactics of news literacy: How young people access evaluate and engage with news on social media. New Media & Society 25(3) 505-521. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211011447
Titova, E. (2018). Speech Strategies And Tactics In The Political Discourse (11/09/2016 Hillary Clinton Speech). In I. V. Denisova (Ed.) Word Utterance Text: Cognitive Pragmatic and Cultural Aspects vol 39. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences (pp. 432-438). Future Academy. https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2018.04.02.61
Ziegele, M. Koehler C. & Weber M. (2018). Socially Destructive?: Effects of negative and hateful user comments on readers’ donation behavior toward refugees and homeless persons. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 62(4) 636–653. https://doi.org/10.108 0/08838151.2018.1532430
Altun, Mustafa. (2023). The Power of Language: Exploring its Significance in Shaping Perceptions Beliefs and Relationships. International Journal of Social Sciences and Educational Studies. 10. 362-366. 10.23918/ijsses.v10i3p362.
Bahador, B. (2021). Countering hate speech. In H. Tumber & S. Waisbord (Eds.) The Routledge companion to media disinformation and populism (pp. 507–518). Routledge.
Benesch, S. (2016). Counterspeech on Twitter: A field study. In Dangerous Speech Project. Dangerous Speech Project. https://www.dangerousspeech.org/libraries/counterspeech-on-twitter-a-field-study:~:text=Our%20two%20year%20study%20of%20hateful%20speech%20and%20counterspeech%20on
Buerger, C. & Wright L. (2019). Counterspeech: A literature review. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3829816
Cepollaro, Bianca & Lepoutre Maxime & Simpson Robert. (2022). Counterspeech. Philosophy Compass. 18. 10.1111/phc3.12890.
Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research Design: Qualitative Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks CA: Sage Publications.
Deliana & Felicia Oscarb. (2020). The Use of Colloquial Singaporean English in ‘Speaking Singlish’ Comic Strips: A Syntactic Analysis. International Journal of Innovation Creativity and Change. Volume 12 Issue 12
Deliana, D. & Ganie R. (2024). Using debates in teaching speaking to EFL learners: Perceptions of English department students. Multidisciplinary Science Journal 7(1) 2025052. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2025052
Eddy, D. K. (n.d.). The changing news habits and attitudes of younger audiences. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2022/young-audiences-news-media
Erjavec, K. & Kova?i? M. P. (2012). “You don’t understand this is a new war!” Analysis of hate speech in news web sites’ comments. Mass Communication & Society 15(6) 899– 920. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2011.619679
Friess, D. Ziegele M. & Heinbach D. (2021). Collective civic moderation for deliberation? Exploring the links between citizens’ organized engagement in comment sections and the deliberative quality of online discussions. Political Communication 38(5) 624–646. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2020.1830322.
Gharaei, Nadya & Fleischmann Fenella & Phalet Karen. (2024). National Identity Development Among Minority Youth: Longitudinal Relations with National Fit Perceptions and School Belonging. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 53. 2746-2761. 10.1007/s10964-024-02036-0.
Howard, J. W. (2019). Free speech and hate speech. Annual Review of Political Science 22(1) 93–109. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-051517-012343
Kunst, M. Porten-Cheé P. Emmer M. & Eilders C. (2021). Do “Good Citizens” fight hate speech online? Effects of solidarity citizenship norms on user responses to hate comments. Journal of Information Technology & Politics 18 258–273. https://doi.org/10.1080/1933 1681.2020.1871149
Labov, W. (1966a) The Social Stratification of English in New York City. Washington DC: Center for Applied Linguistics
Labov, W. (2006) The Social Stratification of English in New York City. 2nd edn. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Lee, E.-J. Kim H. S. & Cho J. (2017). How user comments affect news processing and reality perception: Activation and refutation of regional prejudice. Communication Monographs 84(1) 75–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637751.2016.1231334
McDonald, P. Charlesworth S. & Graham T. (2016). Action or inaction: Bystander intervention in workplace sexual harassment. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 27(5) 548–566. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2015.1023331
NapoleonCat. Instagram users in Indonesia - February 2024. NapoleonCat. (n.d.). https://napoleoncat.com/stats/instagram-users-in-indonesia/2024/02/
Obermaier, M. Schmuck D. & Saleem M. (2023). I’ll be there for you? Effects of Islamophobic online hate speech and counter speech on Muslim in-group bystanders’ intention to intervene. New Media & Society 25 2339–2358. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211017527
Porten-Cheé, P. Kunst M. & Emmer M. (2020). Online civic intervention: A new form of political participation under the conditions of a disruptive online discourse. Journal of International Communication 14 514–534
Reichelmann, A. Hawdon J. Costello M. Ryan J. Blaya C. Llorent V. … Zych I. (2020). Hate Knows No Boundaries: Online Hate in Six Nations. Deviant Behavior 42(9) 1100–1111. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2020.1722337
Rieger, D. Kümpel A. S. Wich M. Kiening T. & Groh G. (2021). Assessing the extent and types of hate speech in fringe communities: A case study of alt-right communities on 8chan 4chan and Reddit. Social Media + Society 7(4) 1–14. https://doi.org/10 .1177/20563051211052906
Schäfer, Svenja & Rebasso Isabella & Boyer Ming & Planitzer Anna. (2023). Can We Counteract Hate? Effects of Online Hate Speech and Counter Speech on the Perception of Social Groups. Communication Research. 10.1177/00936502231201091.
Schäfer, Svenja Michael Sülflow and Liane Reiners. (2022). Hate Speech as an Indicator for the State of the Society. Journal of Media Psychology 2022 34:1 3-15
Sponholz, Liriam. (2017). Tackling Hate Speech with Counter Speech? Practices of Contradiction and their Effects.
Sponholz, L. (2023). Counter Speech: Practices of Contradiction on Hate Speech and their Effects. In: Febel G. Knopf K. Nonhoff M. (eds) Contradiction Studies – Exploring the Field. Contradiction Studies. Springer VS Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37784-7_5
Swart, J. (2023). Tactics of news literacy: How young people access evaluate and engage with news on social media. New Media & Society 25(3) 505-521. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211011447
Titova, E. (2018). Speech Strategies And Tactics In The Political Discourse (11/09/2016 Hillary Clinton Speech). In I. V. Denisova (Ed.) Word Utterance Text: Cognitive Pragmatic and Cultural Aspects vol 39. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences (pp. 432-438). Future Academy. https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2018.04.02.61
Ziegele, M. Koehler C. & Weber M. (2018). Socially Destructive?: Effects of negative and hateful user comments on readers’ donation behavior toward refugees and homeless persons. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 62(4) 636–653. https://doi.org/10.108 0/08838151.2018.1532430
Published
2025-05-02
How to Cite
Akhyar, F., & Deliana, D. (2025). Counter-Speech On Israel-Hamas Conflict News Comments. Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics, 10(1), 233-247. https://doi.org/10.21462/ijefl.v10i1.910
Section
Articles
Copyright (c) 2025 Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
