Racism is still a terrible problem in America. Before the internet age, many people were openly racist. Now, with the internet, many people are less openly racist. Racism is now implicit rather than explicit. The anonymity and the audience of the internet gives people the means and the incentive to voice racist and prejudicial viewpoints to countless people. For many racists, the internet is an open platform for the dissemination of racist ideals. Racists are able to find others with likeminded views and to further promote their hated. Furthermore, anonymity allows racists or people who hold prejudiced ideas to harass and harm their selected victims. Racism and prejudice is not limited to a specific group of people. Anyone and …show more content…
According to Klein (2012), information laundering is, “the process in which, malicious speech becomes legitimized through discrimination across the internet” (p. 427). This theory may help guide further research in looking at the systems at which racism is distributed electronically. It might prove to be important to look at the process of how racism moves around from person to person on the internet. Klein’s research further addresses gaps in current research that he looks at hate websites or communities that propagate anti-social behavior. The second theory that may help explain why people are racist online is racial formation theory. Daniels (2012), finds “it necessary to use racial formation theory as a tool for online racism research” (p. 695). Use of racial formulation theory is a relatively well known sociological theory. It is one of the hallmark theories of race in sociological research. Daniels (2013) explains, “Racial formation’ refers to ‘the socio-historical process by which racial categories are created, inhabited, transformed, and destroyed’ in societies like the United States” (p. 709). This theory is extremely effective in researching the relationship between racism and the online space. It makes sense if one accepts the theory that race can be malleable and changed for the better or worse. If race can be socialized, then stereotype threat may harm one’s self-image over the