Wednesday briefing: In a new era of far-right organising, how can we tackle hate?
Summary
Ten years after MP Jo Cox was killed by a right-wing extremist, her sister Kim Leadbeater, now an MP, said political hatred in Britain has grown worse. Experts warn that far-right groups use social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), owned by Elon Musk, to spread hate and organize real-world violence in the UK.Key Facts
- Jo Cox, a British MP, was murdered by a right-wing extremist before the Brexit referendum, and her sister Kim Leadbeater is now an MP.
- Kim Leadbeater says hatred in British politics is louder and more dangerous now than when her sister was killed.
- Elon Musk owns X, a major social media platform with 240 million users, and reinstated a top British far-right figure on it.
- Far-right groups use social media to spread misinformation and plan protests that lead to street violence and attacks on ethnic minorities.
- Recent events like riots in Belfast, Glasgow, Southampton, and Southport were fueled by online false claims linked to far-right narratives about immigration.
- Far-right organizers use messaging apps like Telegram for private planning and social media like X and Facebook to recruit supporters and promote events.
- Musk has publicly shared details of far-right demonstrations in the UK, increasing their visibility.
- Experts express concern about how online hate speech is causing real-life harm and making communities feel unsafe.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.