Hate site
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A hate site is a website that promotes hatred. Typically, such a site will contain criticism of a specific race, religion, sexual behavior, or nationality. The online gathering of persons with racist, sexist or other hateful attitudes can trace its roots to the days of the bulletin board system (BBS). A high level of anonymity allowed users access to others with similar beliefs, without exposing themselves to public scrutiny. With the advent of the Internet, these BBSs shifted to the World Wide Web. Most of these sites contain Internet forums, for user interaction, and news briefs that emphasize a particular viewpoint. Conferences concerning such sites have been sponsored by the UNHCR[1]
The introduction of hate sites, along with message boards and easier general access to the Internet for the public, led many officials to question whether the same rights of freedom of speech applied online, where the same words and thoughts could reach many more people instantly. There have been attempts to pass laws that would restrict the content available online, including hate sites.
In the United States, many famous Supreme Court decisions have attempted to create a distinction between hate speech and free speech. Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire articulated the fighting words doctrine, which held that "social interest in order and morality" outweighed an individual's right to speech. Beauharnais v. Illinois gave further rights to groups to protect themselves from libel. Miller v. California established the Miller test, which is a three-part standard for determining what qualifies as obscene.
