Experts Warn of Rising Digital Violence Against Women at "Algorithms of Hate" Conference
The "Algorithms of Hate" conference in Puerto de la Cruz highlighted the urgent need for multidisciplinary strategies to combat the rise of digital violence and misogynistic radicalization online.
Digital violence against women is no longer a distant threat; it has become a major structural issue. This was the key takeaway from the "Algorithms of Hate" conference held this week in Puerto de la Cruz. The event brought together experts in sociology, gender equality, and communication to examine how misogyny is evolving online—a space where disinformation and hate speech are radicalizing younger generations.
There is an urgent need to study the "manosphere," a digital network where anti-feminist subcultures like "incels" and the "red pill" movement thrive. The conference highlighted how these narratives go viral, turning online spaces into recruitment grounds. This trend has real-world consequences, impacting both the mental health of victims and the legal system.
The conference featured leading experts, including Águeda Gómez Suárez, scientific advisor to the Ministry of Equality; Professor Asunción Bernárdez Rodal of the Complutense University of Madrid; CSIC researcher Silvia Díaz Fernández; and activist Carla Galeote. Together, they explored how these harmful messages spread and discussed the shared responsibility of governments, private companies, and social media platforms in stopping this abuse.
The sessions concluded that we must update our prevention and intervention strategies. Because algorithms often prioritize polarizing content, addressing digital violence requires a multidisciplinary approach that focuses on community and local education. Developing tools for early detection is essential to stopping a cycle of violence that remains a significant barrier to true equality in modern society.