A/78/538 30. The negative impact on individuals and groups who are targeted by online racist hate speech is significant, in particular given that they can be repeatedly exposed to pejorative and discriminatory speech. Online racist hate speech can have a significant and cumulative impact on the mental health of those targeted. The impact of online hatred can be compounded by chronic stress, which is experienced following exposure to other manifestations of racism and racial discrimination, as well as additional and intersecting forms of discrimination. Experiences of online racist hate speech, including those which directly target an individual and those that espouse more general racial hatred, are associated with decreased self-esteem, lower academic or professional performance and/or increased rates of alcohol and drug use among those targeted. 33 The Special Rapporteur is concerned about the online targeting of children and young people from racial and ethnic groups, including in the context of bullying, and the profound and lasting impact of this during their formative years. 34 Submissions received by the Special Rapporteur highlighted the vulnerability of children and young people in certain online environments, including online gaming. 35 31. Racist hate speech, including that which is disseminated online, also has a powerful detrimental effect at the societal level, destroying the social fabric of communities and undermining the norms of human rights and democracy, including equality and non-discrimination. 36 As noted by the Secretary-General at the launch of the United Nations Strategy on Hate Speech: “Hate speech is in itself an attack on tolerance, inclusion, diversity and the very essence of our human rights norms and principles. More broadly, it undermines social cohesion, erodes shared values, and can lay the foundation for violence, setting back the cause of peace, stability, sustainable development and the fulfilment of human rights for all.” General recommendation No. 35 (2013) also captures the society-wide impact of racist hate speech. In paragraph 5, it is made clear that speech can make a significant contribution to the creation of a climate of racial hatred and discr imination. IV. Online racist hate speech and relevant international human rights standards 32. Article 4 is a central article of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. As highlighted in paragraph 10 of general recommendation No. 35 (2013), article 4 of the Convention “comprises elements relating to speech and the organizational context for the production of speech, serves the functions of prevention and deterrence, and provides for sanctions when deterrence fails”. The chapeau of article 4 explicates the obligation of States to address incitement to racial discrimination. It makes clear that States must take “immediate and positive measures designed to eradicate all incitement to, or acts of, such discrimination”. Furthermore, in paragraph 16 of general recommendation No. 35 (2013), it is indicated that: “Incitement characteristically seeks to influence others to engage in certain forms of conduct, including the commission of crime, through advocacy or threats. Incitement may be express or i mplied, through actions such as displays of racist symbols or distribution of materials as well as words.” General recommendation No. 35 (2013) also describes the provisions in article 4 (a) of the Convention and outlines how States parties “shall declare an offence punishable __________________ 33 34 35 36 23-20290 Submission from the Federal Public Defenders’ Office of Brazil and Koustuv Saha, Eshwar Chandrasekharan and Munmun De Choudhury, “Prevalence and psychological effects of hateful speech in online college communities”, PubMed Central, June 2019. Submissions from Mauritius and Mazidatun Maftukhah. Submission from Mazidatun Maftukhah. United Nations Strategy on Hate Speech and submissions from Ireland and Uruguay, as well as from LabSul. 11/22