Elham Asaad Buaras
Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has been accused of fuelling racial tensions and contributing to a spike in anti-Muslim and anti-migrant hate incidents in the UK following the Southport knife attack in July 2024.
A new technical analysis by Amnesty International, published on August 6, claims the platform’s algorithm and policy decisions significantly amplified false and inflammatory narratives in the wake of the attack.
On July 18, 2024, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana attacked a group of people in the seaside town of Southport, killing three girls—Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King, and Elsie Dot Stancombe—and injuring ten others.
Almost immediately, misinformation about the attacker’s identity, religion, and immigration status began spreading online, particularly on X. Posts suggesting Rudakubana was a Muslim asylum seeker were widely circulated using hashtags such as #Stabbing and #EnoughisEnough.
Amnesty’s report highlights how X’s content-ranking systems, especially its engagement-driven “For You” feed, prioritised inflammatory posts over accurate information.
The platform’s design, which boosts posts based on potential for user interaction, created what Amnesty describes as a “staggering amplification” of hate speech and misinformation during a moment of national crisis.
“Our analysis shows that X’s algorithmic design and policy choices contributed to heightened risks amid a wave of anti Muslim and anti migrant violence observed in several locations across the UK last year, and which continues to present a serious human rights risk today,”said Pat de Brún, Head of Big Tech Accountability, Amnesty International.
The report also notes that Premium verified accounts—often held by far-right figures—were disproportionately elevated in visibility, regardless of content accuracy.
Posts by former EDL leader Tommy Robinson, who had previously been banned from most mainstream platforms for violating hate speech policies, reached over 580 million views in just two weeks. These included unsubstantiated claims linking the Southport killings to broader anti-Muslim conspiracies.
One widely circulated post from the anti-immigration account “Europe Invasion” falsely claimed the attacker was a “Muslim immigrant” and drew more than four million views.
Amnesty estimates that similar posts speculating about the attacker’s background amassed around 27 million impressions in the first 24 hours alone.
The organisation warns that these viral falsehoods occurred within a weakened moderation environment.
Since Elon Musk’s acquisition of X in 2022, the platform has dramatically reduced content moderation staff, reinstated previously banned users, and loosened enforcement of community standards. Amnesty argues that these changes created an ecosystem where disinformation and hate speech could thrive unchecked.
In the days after the attack, the UK experienced a surge in hate crimes targeting Muslim and migrant communities. Reports of mosque vandalism, attacks on refugee shelters, and street harassment of Black, South Asian, and visibly Muslim individuals increased significantly.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for urgent measures to protect vulnerable communities. Musk, however, appeared to downplay the targeted nature of the backlash, posting to his 140 million followers, “Shouldn’t you be concerned about attacks on all communities?” The remark was widely criticised for deflecting attention from the spike in anti-Muslim violence.
Amnesty’s findings come amid heightened scrutiny of tech platforms under the UK’s Online Safety Act and the EU’s Digital Services Act—two landmark regulatory frameworks aimed at curbing harmful content and reducing systemic risks. However, the report argues that enforcement remains inconsistent and urges authorities to take firmer action.
“This isn’t just a matter of bad code—it’s a matter of public safety and human rights,” said Amnesty in its accompanying policy briefing. “Regulators must intervene before further harm is done.”
(Credit: Debbie Rowe/Wikimedia)
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