Violence on the Web: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Digital Violence in Mexico

Abstract

Violence on the Web analyzes digital violence in Mexico from legal, sociological, pedagogical, and linguistic perspectives. Across six chapters, the book demonstrates that online aggression forms part of social structures that reproduce inequality, misogyny, and hostility toward women and young people. The book begins with a review of the legal framework, highlighting advances such as the Olimpia Law and its limitations in addressing digital impunity. Subsequent studies document hate speech against women during 8M and show how anonymity is not always necessary for misogyny to be exercised. Other contributions examine the emotional impact of harassment through participatory methodologies, the reproduction of micromachismos and sexist humor on social media, and the everyday use of toxic language in youth communication. Finally, quantitative diagnoses reveal that victimization through cyberbullying is higher than perpetration among university students, with effects such as anxiety, depression, and risk of dropout. The iceberg metaphor summarizes the book’s central contribution: visible violence rests on normalized cultural practices. The book constitutes a relevant reference for researching, preventing, and transforming digital violence.