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.
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.
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.
“The prevalence of online hate is related to hate crimes outside. Victims of hatred often report diminished psychological well-being,” they warned.
International
Trump says Jimmy Kimmel show suspension due to poor ratings, not politics
U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed any political motive behind ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s show, stating that the decision is due to “poor viewership ratings” and not a reaction to Kimmel’s comments about the death of Charlie Kirk.
The suspension of Kimmel’s program was announced yesterday and coincided with the comedian’s remarks regarding Kirk’s death and the reactions of prominent Republican figures in the United States.
However, Trump, on his social media platform Truth Social, emphasized that the cancellations of both Kimmel’s and Stephen Colbert’s shows are due to low ratings and limited audience reach.
“Good news for the United States: Jimmy Kimmel’s show, with terrible ratings, has been canceled! Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to make this decision. Kimmel has no talent, and his ratings are even worse than Colbert’s, if that’s possible. Now only Jimmy and Seth remain, two failures, on the fake news network NBC. Their ratings are also catastrophic,” Trump wrote.
ABC announced on Wednesday that Jimmy Kimmel’s variety show will be taken off the air “indefinitely,” following threats of legal action from the U.S. government after the host made comments on the political repercussions of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
International
Padilla and Durbin seek oversight as deportation of Guatemalan minors sparks legal concerns
Democratic Senators Alex Padilla and Dick Durbin have demanded explanations from President Donald Trump’s administration regarding its plans to deport dozens of unaccompanied Guatemalan children in U.S. custody, without allowing them the chance to defend their immigration cases.
The lawmakers said on Wednesday that they have requested oversight hearings in the Senate to compel the White House to respond about the planned deportations, which were initially scheduled for August 31 but remain on hold due to a court order.
According to lawyers representing ten children aged 10 to 16 who filed a lawsuit, the administration violated due process by ignoring ongoing immigration cases and disregarding the special protections granted to minors who crossed the border from Mexico alone.
Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), unaccompanied immigrant children in the U.S. generally have the opportunity to appear before an immigration judge before being deported.
Padilla and Durbin’s demand comes after a report by the Government Accountability Project (GAP) alleged that the Trump administration misrepresented the safety of unaccompanied Guatemalan children under its care in order to justify removing them from the country.
The report revealed that at least 30 of the 327 Guatemalan children the administration attempted to deport “show signs” of having been victims of abuse, including death threats, gang violence, human trafficking, or expressed fear of returning to Guatemala.
However, Angie Salazar, director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which maintains custody of the children, testified in court under penalty of perjury that these children showed no evidence of abuse or neglect by a parent or guardian.
International
Trump criticizes Putin, calls Ukraine war “one of the deadliest conflicts”
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his disappointment on Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that the war in Ukraine would have been easier to resolve due to the personal relationship they share, but has instead become one of the deadliest conflicts.
During a press conference following a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the official Chequers residence, Trump said he has successfully negotiated the end of seven armed conflicts, though he admitted that the war in Ukraine has been particularly challenging.
The president noted that he initially thought the Russia-Ukraine conflict would be “one of the easiest” to negotiate. However, he cautioned that “you never know in war” and often things “happen in the opposite way than expected.”
When asked why he was disappointed, Trump stated that Putin “is killing a lot of people,” adding that “Russian soldiers are being killed in greater numbers than Ukrainians.”
Prime Minister Starmer emphasized that the United Kingdom continues to work alongside the United States to halt “the killing in Ukraine.” He noted that in recent days, Putin has revealed his true intentions by ordering the most devastating attack since the invasion began in 2022, resulting in more civilian casualties and new violations of NATO airspace.
“President Trump and I have discussed how we can strengthen our defenses, maintain support for Ukraine, and increase international pressure to force Putin to accept a lasting peace agreement,” Starmer said.
The joint statement came on the second day of President Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom, from the Chequers country residence in Aylesbury, about 60 kilometers from London.
Trump says Jimmy Kimmel show suspension due to poor ratings, not politics
Padilla and Durbin seek oversight as deportation of Guatemalan minors sparks legal concerns
Trump criticizes Putin, calls Ukraine war “one of the deadliest conflicts”
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