Deutsche Telekom offers chatbot to fight online hate

Online hate online concerns all of us – private individuals, institutions, politicians, and companies. Deutsche Telekom encourages democratic, respectful interaction on the internet and is committed to supporting more “online civil courage”. It is joining many other organizations in its call to protect victims of cyberbullying and to take a stand against online hate. It is supporting this initiative with an awareness campaign on TV and radio, in movie theaters and print, and on social media and other websites. Deutsche Telekom wishes to provide assistance to victims, who often don’t know who they can turn to. They desire more information, preventative measures, and practical support.

To give specific help to the victims, Deutsche Telekom and Facebook are now offering a messenger bot to help fight online hate. The bot lets you find the right contact point with just a few clicks – no matter whether you need help directly or want to take action against online hate yourself. Depending on the personal situation, the bot will direct users to specific organizations such as #exclamo, the youth counseling line #Nummer gegen Kummer, #ichbinhier, and others. 

“We’re not only encouraging discussion of this important societal topic, but are also offering direct assistance and a way to actively help fight against online hate. The bot is intended to bring victims and aid organizations together quickly and anonymously,” says Ulrich Klenke, Chief Brand Officer at Deutsche Telekom. “We are sending an important signal, together with our partner Facebook. After all, simply deleting hate speech doesn’t do enough for the victims. We see this tool as one of many solutions that will help combat online hate.” 

Tino Krause, Country Director at Facebook, believes that it is important “that people feel comfortable on our platforms. We have been active against hate speech and bullying for years. We are pleased to have the opportunity to support Deutsche Telekom with this initiative, and that the bot will be another point of contact for those affected.”

Click this link to access the bot directly (an active Facebook login is required).