WASHINGTON, October 3 — A new report from the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate documents a sharp increase in anti-South Asian hate speech on the social media platform X between January 2024 and June 2026. The study attributes the rise to political rhetoric, immigration policies, and shifting platform policies under Elon Musk’s ownership. The report, titled ‘The Rising Tide of Anti-South Asian Hate in the United States’, finds that hate posts targeting South Asians grew significantly over the period.
It notes that the increase coincides with Donald Trump’s second term in office and his administration’s focus on immigration enforcement. Researchers link the surge to economic anxiety and the growing public presence of South Asian Americans.
The study identifies Indians, Bangladeshis, and Pakistanis as the primary targets of online abuse. Hate speech on X includes racist and xenophobic attacks on prominent South Asian American figures such as Kamala Harris, Usha Vance, Kash Patel, Zohran Mamdani, and Raja Krishnamoorthi. The report says these individuals have been subjected to coordinated online campaigns.
Raqib Naik, executive director of the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate, states that incendiary rhetoric from senior government officials has helped normalize hate. He points to changes at X after its acquisition by Musk, including the removal of hate speech safeguards and fact-checking tools, as a key factor in amplifying harmful content.
Naik calls on the US government to lead efforts to regulate social media platforms, arguing they have been weaponized to spread prejudice. He urges accountability for companies that allow hate to flourish under the guise of free speech. Indian-American congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi cites the report in accusing the Trump administration and the MAGA movement of fueling systemic racism.
He references specific incidents where South Asians were mocked for attending college football games and stereotyped using names like Singh. Krishnamoorthi emphasizes that South Asian Americans are vital to the nation’s social and economic life. He calls for bipartisan action to confront racism and xenophobia in digital and public spaces.
The study finds that more than half a million anti-South Asian posts appeared on X between January 2025 and June 2026. It notes a substantial increase in that period, with five of the six highest-volume months occurring from November 2025 to June 2026.
Looking ahead, analysts will watch whether federal regulators respond to calls for oversight of online platforms. The report’s findings may influence debates over content moderation, election integrity, and the role of social media in shaping public discourse.
