{"id":77041,"date":"2025-02-17T11:53:18","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T16:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mascolombia.com\/the-dark-side-of-x-hate-speech-up-50-since-musks-purchase\/"},"modified":"2025-02-17T11:53:19","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T16:53:19","slug":"the-dark-side-of-x-hate-speech-up-50-since-musks-purchase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mascolombia.com\/en\/the-dark-side-of-x-hate-speech-up-50-since-musks-purchase\/","title":{"rendered":"The dark side of X: hate speech up 50% since Musk\u2019s purchase"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Since Elon Musk acquired social network X (formerly Twitter) in October 2022, hate speech on the platform has increased by 50%, according to a recent University of California study published in the journal PLOS ONE.<\/p>\n\n

The research, which analyzed the period between January 1, 2022 and June 9, 2023, also notes that bot accounts have not decreased, contradicting one of Elon Musk\u2019s promises when he took control of the social network.<\/p>\n\n

You may also read: The evolution of sport over time: a historical journey<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n

Offensive posts on X increased<\/h2>\n\n

According to the study, the average number of posts with hate speech went from 2,179 per week before<\/strong> Elon Musk\u2019s purchase to 3,246 after<\/strong>, representing a 50% increase.<\/p>\n\n

Although the researchers noted that this trend was already on the rise before the entrepreneur\u2019s arrival, the frequency of these posts skyrocketed under his administration, peaking in May 2023.<\/p>\n\n

Despite the fact that activity on the social network grew by only 8%<\/strong> in the same period, the data rule out that the increase in hate speech is exclusively due to the arrival of new users. Instead, experts suggest that the platform has experienced a change in the overall tone of the content.<\/p>\n\n

\"Hate
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Elon Musk\u2019s promises vs. the reality of X<\/h3>\n\n

When Musk closed the purchase of Twitter for $44 billion<\/strong>, he assured that his intention was to preserve freedom of expression and prevent the social network from becoming a \u201chell without rules\u201d.<\/p>\n\n

The tycoon assured that the platform would allow anyone to express their opinion freely and without facing consequences<\/strong>. However, the study suggests that the reality has been different, with an increase in homophobic, transphobic and racist insults.<\/p>\n\n

One of the episodes that generated the most controversy in X was the Bud Light beer advertising campaign featuring actress and trans activist Dylan Mulvaney. The reaction was immediate: ultraconservative sectors launched a boycott against the brand and X became the epicenter of polarization and attacks.<\/p>\n\n

How hate speech spreads on X<\/h2>\n\n

The study categorized hate posts on the social network as follows:<\/p>\n\n