Detecting hate speech at an early stage | Case study

The objective of this case study is to design an intelligent user flow to detect and prevent hate speech during the process of adding a comment in the comment sections on a news website. Hate speech is a significant concern on online platforms, and using artificial intelligence to identify and mitigate such content can help create a safer and more inclusive online community.

The process involves collecting and annotating a diverse dataset, preprocessing and engineering features, selecting and training a hate speech detection model, integrating it into the user flow, providing real-time feedback to users, and handling false positives and negatives. Continuous monitoring, user education, privacy measures, and feedback mechanisms are essential components for ongoing improvement. By following this approach, the news websites (and not only) can effectively mitigate hate speech and create a safer online community for its users.

In this case study, we will take a closer look at a user experience of commenting user who wants use hate speech in their comment. Let's take a look at it step by step.

User Interface Design: Comment Section

The news website's article page displays a comment section where users can leave their comments on the news story.

Below the article and above existing comments, there is an input field with a placeholder inviting users to "Post a Comment."

Real-Time Hate Speech Detection

As the user types their comment in the input field, the hate speech detection AI algorithm operates in real time.

Feedback Indicators

If the algorithm detects potential hate speech in the comment, the input field displays a real-time feedback indicator.

The feedback indicator can be a colored border around the input field (e.g., red for hate speech, green for non-hate speech) or an inline warning message.

Suggested Modifications & Submission

If hate speech is detected, the user will receive a suggested modification or be prompted to revise the comment to comply with community guidelines.

Users can only submit their comments once they comply with the community guidelines or remove the flagged content.

We should also take into consideration other factors in detecting hate speech. In case the algorithm mistakenly flags a comment as hate speech, users should have an option to report the false positive. Furthermore, users should be able to appeal against the hate speech detection by submitting a request through a designated channel. The user interface may include a disclaimer ensuring users' privacy and data protection during the hate speech detection process.

By incorporating this user interface design, the news website can effectively detect and prevent hate speech in real time, fostering a safer and respectful online community.