A gripping documentary that delves into the murky world of online right-wing extremism, Simon Klose’s “Hacking Hate” offers a meticulous, albeit sometimes fragmented, look at modern-day white supremacy. The film follows Swedish journalist My Vingren as she immerses herself in digital spaces dominated by white supremacists. Through her investigative journey and interviews with experts on content moderation, the documentary spans various regions, from the U.S. to Scandinavia, though it occasionally struggles to connect these threads seamlessly.
Vingren, often likened to the real-life “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” is a dedicated and astute investigator. Her knack for tracing digital footprints proves invaluable in “Hacking Hate.” She creates numerous fake profiles to infiltrate white nationalist groups, uncovering digital trails that most would overlook. Her efforts lead her to identify a key figure in a racist Norwegian chatroom, who disguises Islamophobia and antisemitism as national pride.
Accompanied by Kate Havnevik’s intense and unsettling score, Klose captures Vingren’s step-by-step revelations with a sharp eye. The use of real-life security camera footage adds a chilling and sometimes absurd layer to the narrative. The film’s visual style, with its heightened, saturated colors and frequent use of drone shots and voyeuristic lenses, creates an atmosphere of paranoia. Each scene feels like impromptu surveillance, as if the subjects are constantly in danger.
Vingren’s investigations are often shown as projections on blank walls in dark rooms, casting an eerie digital web from the online world into reality. Klose’s visually captivating approach raises questions about the psychological impact of Vingren’s undercover work. While her behavior and reactions suggest she remains unaffected, the film’s artistry leaves this question lingering.
The documentary begins by observing “alt-right” figures on YouTube, such as Britain’s Paul Joseph Watson and Sweden’s bodybuilder/Hitler apologist The Golden One. This sets up a digital framework for the real-world pursuit of knowledge. However, when the film shifts from the online space to the real world, it becomes more straightforward and less impactful. This is ironic, given the film’s focus on the dangers of online extremism spilling into reality. The sit-down interviews with experts on platforms like Twitter and YouTube, conducted by Vingren, often feel mundane and familiar. These secondary subjects are presented as talking heads, expressing their concerns in ways that the film’s visuals do not enhance.
The documentary’s theories, particularly that tech companies profit from extremism, are most effective when shown in practice. This includes montages of racist hatred on social media or scenes of Vingren delving deeper into white supremacist networks, uncovering political and financial ties behind seemingly ordinary hate groups.
Vingren herself is a compelling subject, especially when she is silent, as her process is both intriguing and risky. However, when the film shifts to her interviewing others, it feels distant and less engaging. The documentary becomes a story about someone telling stories about others, which is less captivating. Her covert sleuthing is focused, but her interviews with American subjects, whose concerns are specific to the U.S., tend to wander. Despite this, “Hacking Hate” remains visually and thematically rich, centering on Vingren’s work in a way that feels significant and impactful.
