You're the Voice - Telekom Unites Against Hate Speech

Pretty much everyone who leaves a footprint on the internet has experienced it. Insults, defamation, hate speech. It mostly affects those who have a big heart and are above-average sensitive. For in order to spread hate, the heart must be hardened, and the mind atrophied. How nice it is when influential personalities or companies set strong signals against hate and intolerance and for cohesion and civil courage. One of these signs is the Together for #nohatespeech campaign by Deutsche Telekom.

LISA-MARIA KELLERMAYR – A CURRENT SHOCKING CASE

F Almost everyone uses the Internet nowadays, in one way or another. It’s bewildering. Because according to statistics, only 5% of users spread hate on the Internet. But they do it with such an intensity that the rest of the users suffer from it.

I have experienced it myself. Fortunately, I have bold self-confidence. Besides, I have people around me who really know and love me.

But I also had to learn that close friends broke up because of hate speech and the many other mean things on the internet. Wonderful people. The most recent example is Lisa-Maria Kellermayr.

The doctor from Seewalchen in Austria was massively attacked by Corona vaccination opponents. She was even threatened with execution. However, she just wanted to help other people. It’s her job as a doctor. In the end, it seems – because the exact circumstances of her death have not yet been clarified – she and her body could no longer bear the hate and anger that was shown to her on the Internet.

THE VILLAINS

It’s a simple calculation. Because in order to insult other people, one must have many flaws oneself. On the one hand, people who try to harm others lack intellect since a part of the intellect is empathy. On the other hand, people who want to harm others suffer – among other things – from an extreme lack of self-reflection and dignity.

All of this starts in the private circle. Envy, resentment, greed… I’m not getting what I want, and I’m already pointing fingers at others. At the same time, at least three of my own fingers are pointing back at me. How disturbed and stupid people must be who consciously accept that others suffer through their hate speech. Are these people only doing well when others are even worse off? Without they deserve it? And anyway, who deserves hate? None!

TELEKOM UNITES US AGAINST HATE

In Germany, we experienced this almost 100 years ago. The whole world knows where this will lead. Therefore, every vote counts. After all, 5% of the poor haters are about 3,500,000 Internet users. A small state in itself.

As a telecommunications company, Telekom offers Internet access to millions of people every day. Of course, the company knows that they have a great deal of responsibility. Therefore, Telekom commits itself against hate speech and other misuses of the World Wide Web. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to catch all crooks within the chaotic data turmoil. Therefore, Telekom goes another way. It directs an appeal to all affected and who use the internet properly. So, what community and moral courage can achieve shows the spot Together for #nohatespeech.

The campaign wants to encourage the large, silent, sometimes fearful majority of people to take action against hate speech and insults on the Internet. After all, it can happen to all of us! At any time and without warning!

LOVE & PEACE

When love is loud, hate doesn’t stand a chance. It is so easy! Because the arithmetical reverse conclusion is that 95%, i.e. at least 66.5 million people, use the Internet for positive things. How nice, it includes finding love.

Those, who are so dissatisfied with their lives that they have to project their frustration onto others, have no chance against this mass and enormous energy.

THE TELEKOM SPOT

As a German company, Telekom presents the spot in the local language. Let’s hope that an English version comes out soon. Because it is a global problem that knows no borders and barriers.

At the beginning of the spot, the protagonists recite all those hate phrases that are unfortunately common on the internet today, each individually. But the people come together and raise their voices against hatred.

In this way, Telekom once again manages to touch the emotional level of the viewers immediately and intensively. That’s good. Because that’s how we immediately feel that we are not only affecting ourselves but that we have a responsibility to do something against this hatred. Even for others.

When 66.5 million people raise their voices and shake hands, the 3.5 million suddenly find themselves alone. They may learn that the seven deadly sins, which include superbia (vanity), avaritia (greed), ira (anger), and invidia (envy), harm themselves. Maybe they will discover their conscience. In the spot, the crowd raises its voice, drowning out the few.

You’re the voice, try and understand it. Make a noise and make it clear.

A clear request not to be silent, but to speak up against hate speech. With lines like:

We’re not gonna sit in silence. We’re not gonna live with fear

shake up Telekom and encourage us to stand up against hate.

We draw attention to this fact: 5% vs. 95%. It shouldn’t be the case that 95% of peaceful people on the net offer the few who spread hate such a big stage by being silent. At Deutsche Telekom, we are committed to connecting people. We don’t want to give hatred a chance,

Christian Hahn, Head of Marketing at Deutsche Telekom.

We want to encourage silent readers on the internet to take a stand. Together we can all contribute to ensuring that everyone can move safely and confidently on the internet.

We want to encourage people to raise their voices, to contribute themselves and their perspective. When borders are crossed, we must show our solidarity to those affected. For us, not passively accepting injustice hits the core of digital moral courage,

Marike Mehlmann-Tripp, Cluster Lead Social Engagement, Group Corporate Responsibility.

Many hard times will come. We only need to look to Eastern Europe. Therefore, let’s hope that more and more people will reflect on human values. Luckily, hope dies last. But as the Telekom spot Together for #nohatespeech shows us, we can – indeed we should – do more. Thus, we can proactively tackle the problem. We should not look away or ignore when one is being abused or attacked. We should lend a helping hand and stand by the side of those affected, singing together John Farnham’s song: You’re the Voice.