UN report: hate speech against LGBTQ+ surges 344% in one year.
2025 August 13
A UN report documented 2.1 million hate speech messages on Costa Rican social media, up 16% from 2024 and a staggering 400% increase since 2021.
Hate directed at the LGBTIQ+ population saw the sharpest rise of all groups: a 344% increase in a single year, totaling 251,000 messages. Many rely on old stereotypes, tying sexual orientation or gender identity to ideas of "disease" or "indoctrination".
The findings point to serious risks for the country's democracy, human rights, and social bonds if these trends continue unchecked. Attacks focus heavily on politics, gender, and the LGBTIQ+ community.
This follows a previous UN report from 2022 that already showed a 71% increase in hate speech over a year.