A new study has found that hate speech on X, formerly known as Twitter, remained significantly higher for several months after Elon Musk acquired the platform.
Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, led by Daniel Hickey, reported in PLOS One that the weekly rate of hate speech was about 50% higher during Musk’s time as CEO compared to the months before his purchase. Additionally, the number of bot and bot-like accounts did not decline, despite Musk’s promises to crack down on them.
Hate Speech and Bots on the Rise
Previous research has established a link between online hate speech and real-world hate crimes. Social media platforms play a crucial role in shaping public discourse, but they can also spread misinformation, promote scams, and influence political events. Bots and inauthentic accounts contribute to these issues by amplifying harmful content and manipulating online discussions.
After Musk took control of X on October 27, 2022, reports quickly emerged suggesting that hate speech had increased. Musk had stated that one of his priorities was to remove bots and reduce misinformation on the platform. However, early studies found that neither bot activity nor hate speech declined in the immediate aftermath of his takeover.
To investigate whether this trend continued, Hickey and his team analyzed English-language hate speech and inauthentic activity on X from late 2022 to mid-2023. Their findings showed that the rise in hate speech was not a temporary spike but persisted until at least May 2023.
More Exposure to Hate Speech
The study found that hateful language, including homophobic, transphobic, and racist slurs, remained elevated throughout the period. Posts containing such language received about 70% more “likes” than before, suggesting that more users were engaging with and being exposed to hate speech.
At the same time, bot activity showed no signs of declining. Instead, the researchers noted that the presence of bot-like accounts may have actually increased, contradicting Musk’s claims of reducing inauthentic activity on the platform.
Platform Safety Concerns
The findings challenge X’s public statements that exposure to hate speech has declined. However, the researchers acknowledge that without access to internal company data, they cannot directly link Musk’s leadership to the increase in hate speech.
The study raises concerns about the effectiveness of X’s content moderation policies and highlights the need for stronger safeguards against harmful content.
The authors call for further research on social media trends and encourage stronger moderation efforts to curb online hate speech. They conclude, “The policies to reduce exposure to harmful content appear not to be sufficiently effective.”
The research findings can be found in PLOS ONE.
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