‘It’s not that hard’: Does kicking Kiwi Farms off the internet prove tech firms can act against hate speech?

With no internet regulator to appeal to, activists have directly lobbied businesses providing Kiwi Farms with internet services. Photograph: Maksim Chernyshev/Getty Images/EyeEm

As the internet continues to evolve from its earlier days as an unregulated wild west, the big debates about what people should be allowed to see and do online has shifted away from major platforms like Facebook, Google and Twitter to focus on the actions of a small group of tech companies.

These service providers operate under the radar to keep the engine of the internet running without the fanfare of their more recognisable counterparts. But for activists interested in eradicating toxic hate speech and harassment online, they have become the latest targets in an ongoing campaign.