Ankara (Turkey News): Following the outbreak of the US-Israeli conflict over Iran, there has been a sharp rise in Islamophobic content targeting American Muslims online. This finding was revealed in a report released Monday by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate.
The report states that social media platforms have seen a rapid increase in hateful and dehumanizing language against Muslims, intensifying an already hostile digital environment that began after Israel’s military actions in Gaza in October 2023, described by the report as a “war of genocide.”
Analyzing posts on the US platform X between January 1 and March 5, researchers observed a sudden surge in Islamophobic discourse that coincided with the start of the US-Israeli war. Between February 28 and March 5 alone, 25,348 Islamophobic posts were recorded. These included language portraying Muslims as subhuman, calls for violence, or suggestions of exile, internment, or collective punishment. When reshared posts were counted, the total reach climbed to 279,417, representing an elevenfold amplification of the original content.
The report highlights that many posts referred to Muslims using terms like “rats,” “bugs,” and “parasites,” while some encouraged deportation, internment camps, or attacks on mosques. Researchers noted that political statements contributed to this surge, particularly from some former officials of the Trump administration and certain members of Congress who framed the conflict in religious terms.
