AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Amnesty International has reported that social media platform X (formerly Twitter) played a key role in spreading misinformation and escalating Islamophobia and xenophobia in the UK following the deadly June 2024 attack in Southport.
The report attributes this to X’s algorithm and policy changes after Elon Musk’s acquisition, which prioritized inflammatory content over accurate information. Within hours of the attack, millions of users encountered false claims about the attacker’s immigrant or Muslim background, with posts by some far-right figures reaching hundreds of millions of views.
Amnesty warned that reduced moderation and the reinstatement of previously banned accounts have created a hostile environment for hate speech to flourish. As a result, attacks on mosques, refugee shelters, and street harassment targeting Muslims and migrants have increased across the UK.
The organization emphasized that this is not merely a technical issue but a direct threat to public safety and human rights, urging governments to take immediate action to mitigate risks posed by such platforms.
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