The paper examines discrimination and hate speech towards people with disabilities, focusing on disability and its presence in virtual and physical environments. It highlights the cultural construction of disability, perceived as a social norm that defines what is considered a ‘normal’ body. Two explanatory models are contrasted: the social model, which blames society for the barriers faced by people with disabilities, and the medical model, which sees disability as a personal tragedy to be treated individually. Hate speech is characterised by ideological, hierarchical and practical elements that promote hostility. Online, it manifests itself through trolling, flaming, cyberbullying, swatting, impersonation, doxing and sexual solicitation. Regulation of this phenomenon includes laws such as the Spanish Criminal Code and guidelines from the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance. The impact of hate speech transcends the virtual, psychologically and emotionally damaging victims and reinforcing social barriers. To combat it, platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have implemented self-regulatory policies, although they face challenges in their application. Increasing awareness, enforcing strict moderation rules and fostering digital literacy and empathy are recommended to mitigate the problem. This briefing argues for a holistic approach that recognises disability beyond prejudice and promotes an inclusive and respectful society.