Film Review: HACKING HATE
by Karen Pecota

Simon Klose | Sweden, Denmark, Norway | 2024

Documentary filmmaker Simon Klose was working to document the history of online hate some years ago, but while interviewing leaders of hate groups in Sweden and their interconenctive work he met undercover journalist My Vingren.

Klose recalls, “Vingren’s tech-savvy methods and deep understanding of the far right was awe inspiring.” Adding, “ Her singular focus on infiltrating far right groups despite the threats she faces was powerful.” Klose knew that he wanted his film HACKING HATE to showcase Vingren because she is the heroine that represents what he has been trying to accomplish with his research for years.

Klose continues, “Hate is not a problem that will be solved by a single election result, courtroom verdict, or specific policy change. It is going to require work by all of us, to be smarter, act brave, and hold those with outsized power accountable for what they’ve allowed.”

Klose suggests, “It will require us to value, protect, and tell the stories of journalists like My Vingren, whistleblowers like Anika Collier Navaroli (instrumental in Twitter’s suspension of Donald Trump), and researchers like Imran Ahmed (sued by Elon Musk for exposing increasing hate speech on X).” And says, “This film stands as my part in that particular task and as a protest against those who hate and the platforms that amplify it.”

Award-winning reporter My Vingren goes undercover on the online platform with fake profiles to research and expose how extremist movements are using social media to recruit new followers. Vingren discovers a secret influential online neo-Nazi organization.

Vingren’s detailed discovery is telling as she gets closer to the inner circle of this secret group. She wants to know more, and her research goes deeper to find out answers to these questions: who is behind the hate group, who has the interest to call the shots, and who is the ringleader?

Several prominent media outlets call Vingren, the “real-life Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Her expertise comes with a price, for example, living at undisclosed locations. Klose is convinced that we need these whistleblowers, as he says, these far-right social media influencers, “are closer to home than we realize,” as they lurk in the darkest corners of the web. The whistleblowers work hard to unpack the process that social media companies use to amplify and profit from hate. The good news: these people are working together to hold tech platforms accountable for their role in promoting violence. HACKING HATE is a film not to be missed!