Violenza di genere in rete: i meccanismi della colpa e dell’odio online nell’era dei social media influencer

This contribution explores the processes of constructing guilt within social networks, focusing on the role of “toxic” and polarizing narratives, as well as collective emotions, in reinforcing and condensing mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion into a few images, while disinformation campaigns— sometimes intentional—demonstrate that online hate is not always spontaneous but often the result of targeted strategies. Decoding these dynamics is essential for fostering more respectful and inclusive communication. The first part of the article addresses the theoretical concept of guilt, highlighting its nuanced and interdisciplinary nature. Guilt functions as a “threshold” concept, whose definition involves multiple fields of knowledge and is closely intertwined with collective emotions. In particular, it establishes a complex relationship with hate, a connection that will be analyzed in relation to new forms of digital textuality. The second part focuses on online gender-based violence, examining new ways in which guilt is constructed and hate speech spreads on social media. In this context, the role of social media influencers will be explored, illustrating how gender-based violence online manifests through a continuum of practices ranging from sexist language in comments and posts to more structured forms of denigration and victim isolation.