Study Reveals Surge in Anti-Indian Hate Speech on X Amid H-1B ‘Civil War’
An alarming surge in anti-Indian racist rhetoric on social media platform X during the final week of December was linked to a contentious ‘civil war’ within the MAGA community over H-1B visas, a groundbreaking study revealed.
Unprecedented Wave of Anti-Indian Sentiment
According to the report titled “Anti-Indian Hate on X: How the Platform Amplifies Racism and Xenophobia,” by The Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), a nonpartisan Washington think tank, the platform played a pivotal role in fomenting and disseminating anti-minority hate speech targeting Indians and Indian-Americans.
The study, authored by prominent experts in the field, exposed a disturbing trend of unabashedly anti-Indian sentiments gaining traction on X. The most prevalent theme identified in the study was the portrayal of Indians as a menace to the ‘civilized’ fabric of white America and Canada. This narrative was closely followed by posts containing general hateful rhetoric and those denigrating Indians as ‘inferior.’
Roots of Hatred: Sriram Krishnan and Vivek Ramaswamy
The study pinpointed the appointment of Indian-origin technologist Sriram Krishnan as a senior adviser to the incoming Trump administration on Artificial Intelligence as the catalyst for this wave of animosity. Krishnan’s push for reforms to streamline the immigration process for skilled workers on H-1B visas further fueled the backlash.
Indian American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy’s scathing critique of American culture and his disparaging remarks about ‘foreign-born’ engineers added fuel to the fire, sparking a deluge of inflammatory posts on the platform.
Reckoning with Systematic Hatred
The study underscored the insidious nature of the anti-Indian rhetoric, highlighting how certain racist themes and tropes were systematically perpetuated by influential figures on X. Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer and vocal Trump supporter, emerged as a prominent voice vilifying Indian-Americans, amplifying nativist sentiments under the guise of ‘America First.’
The researchers warned that the escalating vitriol and xenophobia directed at Indians underscored the deep-seated white supremacist ideology prevalent on X, calling for urgent measures to curb the proliferation of hate speech.
In the wake of these troubling revelations, the CSOH urged stricter enforcement of platform policies, enhanced monitoring mechanisms, and proactive engagement with stakeholders to combat the rising tide of anti-Indian hate speech.
As the study laid bare the alarming reality of organized hatred targeting Indians on social media, it serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address systemic racism and xenophobia that continue to plague online spaces.
