Experts say thousands of fake accounts posted offensive words to test Twitter's moderation protocols after Elon Musk's $44 billion acquisition of the social media giant.
The Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), which analyzes social media material to forecast new dangers, reportedly told the Washington Post that the N-word was used roughly 500% more frequently on Twitter in the 12 hours after the closure of Musk's deal.
The news outlet also stated that some online troll accounts encouraged the use of racist words in response to the agreement.
"Elon now controls Twitter. Unleash the racial slurs. K--S AND N---S," said one account, using slurs for Jewish and Black people, one user tweeted.
Another post stated: "I can freely express how much I hate n-----s ... now, thank you elon,"
Additionally, journalist David Leavitt has seen more users tweeting hate speech. On Friday, he wrote, "There's a massive flood of literally hundreds of people" per minute posting the N-word and widespread offensive language on Twitter following Elon Musk Twitter acquisition. Sexist and anti-LGBTQ tweets were also abundant, per reports.
The study claims that anonymous trolling accounts conducted "tests" of Twitter's moderation standards by encouraging the deadnaming of transgender persons and the use of insulting slurs like "groomer."
The NCRI claimed that some tweets appeared to be coordinated on other sites like 4chan.
NCRI's chief intelligence analyst Alex Goldenberg told The Washington Post that Internet trolls often test the boundaries of regulation. He said online trolls may want to mess up "Twitter's new management."
Elon Musk To Establish a Content Moderation Council
Musk announced Friday that Twitter will organize a "content moderation council" composed of individuals with diverse ideas and standpoint. He also said that the council would be meeting before making any major moves on regulation.
Conservative figures, meanwhile, have lauded the acquisition, with the hope that the company's new management will relax its stance on content filtering and increase the protections for free expression.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted "FREEDOM OF SPEECH!!!" on Thursday. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said on Twitter that same day that Musk acquiring Twitter was "the most important development for Free Speech" in years.
Accounts supporting far-right leaders appeared to show an increase in followers in the hours before the Elon Musk Twitter deal was concluded. Memetica, a digital investigations firm, found that the accounts of two congresswomen, Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Kari Lake of Arizona, saw a spike in new followers in the 24 hours before the deal was approved.
The New York Times reported that throughout that period, thousands of new accounts were created. Memetica CEO Ben Decker said the accounts with thousands of followers disseminate "disinformation, harassment, and hate."
LeBron James Sees Twitter Situation as 'Scary'
LA Lakers superstar LeBron James was among the notable personalities who expressed concern over the rise of racist and bigoted tweets. The NBA star is concerned that people are using Twitter as a platform to spread bigotry in the name of free speech.
Many users were concerned that Musk's advocacy for free speech would escalate abuse on the site, and James's views reflected those, Fox News reported.
LeBron James suggested that Elon Musk and his personnel would take the matter "very seriously because this is scary."
I dont know Elon Musk and, tbh, I could care less who owns twitter. But I will say that if this is true, I hope he and his people take this very seriously because this is scary AF. So many damn unfit people saying hate speech is free speech. https://t.co/Sy0jvXIBnC
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 29, 2022
According to The Hill, Musk calls himself a "free speech absolutist" and claims he bought Twitter because a shared "digital town square" where a broad spectrum of viewpoints may be "debated" is crucial to preserving humanity.
