abe foxman and i wrote "viral hate: containing its spread on the internet" because hate filled, the meaning them degrading and potentially violence inspiring content are not the necessary byproduct of freedom of expression. we believe freedom of expression as important as it is, and it is, does not trump human dignity. we wrote our book because we believe people should not sit idly by when they see online attacks on people because they are different. the anti-defamation league, the 100 year-old institution where abe is national director and where i chair the national civil rights committee, has a mission. to stop the defamation of the jewish people and to promote justice and fair treatment for all. as part of this mission, the anti-defamation league has worked for years on an epidemic of online hate that without question that's harming individuals and society. while certain aspects of internet hate have received national and international attention like cyberbullying, unfortunately the problem in general is not high in the consciousness of the internet community, parents and educators, and