Blazebridge Academy
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A recent European Union report by the Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has highlighted a concerning rise in hate speech on social media platforms. The study, which analyzed 1,500 social media posts across Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, and Sweden, found that women, along with individuals of African, Roma, and Jewish heritage, were the primary targets of such hateful content.
The survey covered platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, YouTube, and Reddit, but did not include Facebook or Instagram data.
Over a six-month period, the FRA used specific keywords to identify potential online hate against these groups, concluding that more than half of the analyzed posts were categorized as direct harassment.
This spike in hate speech was particularly evident in recent weeks, following events like the Hamas militant group’s attack in Israel and the subsequent Israeli ground offensive, which led to a rise in both pro and anti-Semitic publications.
The report also comes in the wake of allegations that X is disseminating misinformation and hate speech, leading major companies like IBM, NBCUniversal, and Comcast to halt advertising on the platform.
These concerns were compounded by X owner Elon Musk’s comments on a post accusing Jews of hating white people, for which he has faced criticism from the White House and the European Commission.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has announced her departure from X, citing the platform’s transformation into a “gigantic global sewer” toxic to democracy and constructive debate, further highlighting the platform’s challenges in moderating content and maintaining a respectful online environment​.
