International

Hate speech in X increased by 50% since Elon Musk bought it, according to a study

Hate speech on the social network X increased by approximately 50% and bot accounts did not decrease after tycoon Elon Musk bought the platform in 2022, according to a study by the University of California on Wednesday.

The research, which covered the period between January 1, 2022 and June 9, 2023, and was published in the magazine PLOS ONE, revealed that the increase in hate speech continued an upward trend until May 2023, when it reached its peak.

According to this study, the average number of posts containing hate speech in X went from 2,179 weekly posts before Musk’s purchase to 3,246 after. Or what is the same, they increased by 50%.

In addition, the study pointed out that in that same period the activity on the social network increased by 8%, ruling out that it was the responsibility of new users and stating that the content on the platform did migrate to this tone.

Even so, the researchers who participated in the work clarified that the increase in this type of content in X began before Musk’s arrival.

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On October 27, 2022, Tesla’s CEO formalized the purchase of the then Twitter for about 44 billion dollars claiming that he did it “for the future of civilization.”

When he acquired it, he recognized that social networks ran the risk of increasing polarization and assured that “they could not become a free hell for everyone, where anything can be said without consequences,” but that they had to “respect the laws.”

However, this study shows that Musk would not have achieved the goal that was supposedly proposed at the beginning, since there was a greater use of homophobic, transphobic and racist insults since he runs the platform.

One of the moments that generated the most hate speech in X was the advertising campaign of the Bud Light beer brand in which the actress and trans activist Dylan Mulvaney participated.

In fact, a boycott campaign of the products of this beer brand was initiated by far-right groups where the social network played an important role.

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Although attacks on trans people increased during this period, they did not overcome homophobes and racists, who although they also grew, were already older before the arrival of the tycoon.

After analyzing the publications, the study stated that 37% of hate messages are responses to other comments, 36% are new publications, 19% are republications and 7% are citations to other content.

On the other hand, it was detected that bot accounts – the automated accounts that simulate interaction in networks – did not decrease, but quite the opposite, the study perceived an amulet of those that promoted cryptocurrencies.

A business for which both Musk and the President of the United States, Donald Trump, for whom he works from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have bet on several occasions.

The professors pointed to the dissolution of the Trust and Security Advisory Council, which advised on content moderation, and the migration of some users to other social networks, precisely because of the drift that it was taking, as some of the possible causes that have brought X here.

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“The prevalence of online hate is related to hate crimes outside. Victims of hatred often report diminished psychological well-being,” they warned.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”