Hate speech on X spiked in the months after Elon Musk's purchase, study finds

Study shows hate speech increased on X after Elon Musk's purchase, with no decline in bot activity.

Hate speech on the social media platform 'X' spiked by almost 50% in the months following Elon Musk’s purchase, compared to the months prior, a new analysis has shown.

Researchers, including those from the University of California, Berkeley, also found that the number of bot and bot-like accounts did not decline during the period Mr. Musk was CEO, until June 2023.

Previous studies have shown that hate speech increased on X right after the U.S.-based entrepreneur purchased the social media platform - then known as Twitter - and became its CEO, with no reduction in bot-driven activity. Mr. Musk had pledged to "defeat the spam bots" in a post on X in April 2022.

The findings, published in the journal PLOS One, provide supporting evidence, while also pointing out trends in hate speech and bot accounts throughout Mr. Musk's tenure.

Analysing hate speech in the English language and inauthentic activity on X during the period, the researchers found that hate speech spiked just before Musk's purchase, continuing at a weekly rate 50% higher than in the months prior.

"The increase is seen across multiple dimensions of hate, including racism, homophobia, and transphobia," the authors wrote.

Further, the analysis revealed a heightened engagement with hate-related content, with about a 70% increase in the average number of 'likes' on such posts.