Addressing the hate speech issue in the Nordic countries : A challenge for media welfare states or a chance for their revival?

Hate speech on digital platforms manifests itself in ways that need to be addressed both in practice and on a policy level, taking Nordic (media) policies into novel areas. For this chapter, I analysed and compared policy documents discussing hatespeech from Denmark,  Finland, Norway, and Sweden, with a focus on how hatespeech is defined, the perceived  harmful functions of hate speech, and the suggested remedies. The analysis shows that hate speech is perceived to endanger societies’ democratic functions, public debate, and freedom of speech. Hate speech targetsspecific minorities and especially those in public positions or participating inpublic debate. The suggested remedies correspond with media welfare state ideals: increased collaboration between all relevant parties, state support for both citizens and media, and adjustments of existing laws. The role of online platforms is crucial, but concrete measures to hold them responsible still wait for the implementation of the European Union’s Digital Services Act legislation.