Hate Speech and Cyber Ethics: An Ethical Analysis of the Zheng Linghua Case

Abstract

Hate speech is a prominent ethical challenge with the digital media era. While social media strengthens public involvement and free speech, it promotes the widespread communication and online bullying. Taking the Zheng Linghua case as the subject, this paper discusses how the platform governance, algorithm recommendation, commercial incentives and users\' online behaviors interact to amplify online hate speech. Based on Habermas\' Theory of Communicative Action, Gatekeeping Theory, Online Disinhibition Effect and Digital Media Ethics, this study concludes that the tragedy stemmed not only by individuals, but by platform governance and engagement-based algorithms also. The findings suggest that the digital platforms should incorporate the ethical factor in algorithm design, strengthen the platform governance mechanism and foster collaborative responsibility among platforms, users, commercial content producers and regulators, to promote healthier online communication environment.

Introduction

The rapid development of digital media has transformed communication by enabling people to share opinions and experiences more freely. However, the anonymity of online platforms has also increased cyberbullying and hate speech, allowing users to avoid accountability for harmful comments. Hate speech targets individuals or groups based on characteristics such as race, religion, or gender, causing serious psychological harm and damaging social cohesion. Statistics from the WHO show that cyberbullying is widespread, particularly among women and young people, leading many victims to reduce or abandon their online participation. While previous research has focused on hate speech, cyberbullying, platform governance, and algorithms separately, this study examines how these factors interact within a digital media ethics framework.

The study uses the case of Zheng Linghua, a Chinese graduate student who became the target of severe online harassment after posting a photo of herself with her hospitalized grandfather while celebrating her graduate school admission. Her pink hair became the focus of widespread abuse, rumors, and misinformation that were amplified by commercial accounts and social media algorithms. Despite changing her hair color and seeking legal protection, the harassment continued. After suffering depression, Zheng died by suicide in January 2023, making the case a powerful example of how online hate speech can be intensified by platform failures and collective user behavior.

Using Habermas' Theory of Communicative Action, the study argues that online discussions shifted from rational communication to emotional attacks and public humiliation. Gatekeeping Theory suggests that platforms failed in their ethical responsibility by allowing harmful content to spread through recommendation systems that prioritized engagement over user safety. Suler's Online Disinhibition Effect explains how anonymity encouraged ordinary users to participate in harassment without considering the consequences. At the same time, recommendation algorithms amplified controversial content because it generated greater commercial value, creating a cycle that increased the visibility of hate speech.

The discussion highlights the need to balance freedom of expression with respect for human dignity. Although people have the right to express opinions, this freedom should not justify harassment or discrimination. The commercialization of online attention also encourages platforms and content creators to promote controversial material for profit, often at the expense of ethical responsibility. Therefore, responsibility for reducing online hate speech should be shared among platforms, users, commercial content producers, and governments.

The study recommends strengthening content moderation through artificial intelligence and human review, improving complaint mechanisms for victims, embedding ethical principles into recommendation algorithms, increasing transparency in algorithm governance, and promoting digital media literacy. It concludes that collaborative governance involving platforms, regulators, educators, businesses, and users is essential to reduce online hate speech while protecting freedom of expression.

Conclusion

This study analyzes the platform governance, recommendation algorithms, and individual online behavior, uses the Zheng Linghua case as an example to explore the causes and harms of online hate speech. Based on Habermas\' Theory of communicative Action, Gatekeeping Theories, Online disinhibition Effect and Digital media Ethics, the findings suggest that the online hate speech results from the joint mechanisms of technological system, commercial incentives, platform governance and the collective behaviors of users instead of single individual misconduct. As an emphasis, in addition to individual behavior, the less obvious mechanistic issues should not be ignored. Strengthening platform governance, improving algorithm design (including the ethical design of algorithms), and enhancing digital media literacy are crucial for creating a healthier online environment.

References

[1] CCTV News. (2023). [“???????”?????????????……]. https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/s6oRG3fwaSsKTtBSwpBNwg [2] Gillespie, T. (2018). Custodians of the internet: Platforms, content moderation, and the hidden decisions that shape social media. Yale University Press. [3] Habermas, J. (1985). The theory of communicative action: Volume 1. Reason and the rationalization of society (T. McCarthy, Trans.). Beacon Press. [4] Howard, J. W. (2019). Hate speech. MIT Press. [5] Shoemaker, P. J., & Vos, T. P. (2009). Gatekeeping theory. Routledge. [6] Suler, J. (2004). The online disinhibition effect. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 7(3), 321–326. https://doi.org/10.1089/1094931041291295 [7] Van Dijck, J. (2013). The culture of connectivity: A critical history of social media. Oxford University Press. [8] World Health Organization. (2024). Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: Cyberbullying findings. https://www.who.int [9] Zuboff, S. (2024). The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power. Journal of Information Ethics 33 (1), 84-85

Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Li Quan, Dr. Mohd. Haizra. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.