Tracking down hate speech

We are still a long way off from developing artificial life forms that can understand and communicate with humankind on all subjects, according to Michael Wiegand, computer linguist at the Digital Age Research Center (D^!ARC) at the University of Klagenfurt. He specialises in the detection of hate speech and tells us what algorithms need to learn in order to reliably recognise insults.

“You are not alone.”

“Firstly, you are not alone – you will hear us and see us daily as we guide New Zealand through this period”, these were the words of New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in March 2020. At the same time, the French President Emmanuel Macron declared war on the coronavirus with “Nous sommes en guerre.” We interviewed linguist Marta Degani to talk about different linguistic strategies in politics.

Journalism needs to reach out and engage

Social discourse is becoming increasingly heated and radicalised. Why is it that the movements that threaten democracy are more successful in drawing people in than those seeking to promote democracy?

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