Rapid growth in hate sites: New study

To a parent, this means our kids can encounter hate and bigotry - sometimes graphically depicted - on the Web as easily as pornography. SurfControl, a UK-based Net-filtering company that monitors thousands of Web sites in this category, found that the number of hate and violence sites has increased 25% just since January, and 300% since 2000, The Register reports. SurfControl says it was monitoring about 2,756 Web sites that "promote hatred against Americans, Muslims, Jews, homosexuals and people of non-European ancestry, as well as graphic violence" in 2000. By last month it was monitoring 10,926 such sites. SurfControl "went on to claim that some existing hate sites have expanded in shocking or curious ways, such as the inclusion of graphic images of dead and mutilated human beings. Another example given by the company was a white supremacy Web site that included a dating service and a $1,000 scholarship contest for a student that could write the best essay on 'actionable, practical solutions' for dealing with anyone who is not white."