Comment by verisimi

> online hate and radicalization really is a thing

People have always had opinions. Some people think other people's opinions are poor. Talking online was already covered by the law (eg laws re slander).

Creating the new category of 'hate speech' is more about ensuring legal control of messages on a more open platform (the internet) in a way that wasn't required when newspapers and TV could be managed covertly. It is about ensuring that the existing control structures are able to keep broad control of the messaging.