**TL;DR- “You’re too easily offended” “They’re not *really* hurting anyone” and “Words don’t matter” are common responses thrown at people speaking up against discriminatory comments online. However hate speech (on social media for example) is actually a huge problem as it perpetuates, spreads, and even normalises discrimination everywhere, despite the fact that some people see it as insignificant.** Many people argue that we shouldn’t get so offended at a discriminatory post on Twitter, brushing it off as ‘trolling’ and that we should be focusing on hate in the real world. However, hate speech in the real world often stems from these seeds planted online, which then spread and grow, influencing people and normalising discrimination, allowing it to perpetuate- the exact opposite of what we need. This dismissive attitude towards online hate speech is [at best naive, but at worst dangerous as the denial of a threat allows it to grow stronger unchallenged] (https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/roanna-carletontaylor/online-hate-speech-why-wo_1_b_14245300.html). In addition to spreading and normalising discrimination, online hate speech does directly effect it’s victims, having a huge impact on mental health as victims of online hate speech [may feel as if their human dignity was violated, no longer seeing themselves as good and appropriate] (https://www.standleague.org/blog/the-danger-of-hate-speech-on-social-media.html). Additionally, online hate would, of course, make victims feel unsafe. For example, as anonymous as a hate page on Instagram may be, there is still a real person behind that page, thinking and acting in the same way as they do on the internet (further disproving the idea that the internet is not a reflection of the real world). This would make many people feel at risk, and [our right to safety must include psychological as well as physical safety] (https://impakter.com/hurt-feelings-real-danger-hate-speech/). If society continues to ignore social media hate as unimportant, then how can we even begin to combat this? Online hate speech may seem like something that stays online, but this is definitely not true; in a lot of cases, discrimination merely *starts* online, before spreading into the ‘real world’, upholding bigotry and putting many people at risk. Also, even if it did only stay online, it’s still a huge problem as it spreads and normalises bigotry, when it has no place in the 21st century.

Hate speech isn't a thing though is it? Hateful speech is a thing but not "hate speech". Hate is a verb not an adjective so I dont really understand this opinion?