How a coordinated online campaign fueled xenophobia in South Africa
South Africa is experiencing a wave of xenophobia driven by a coordinated digital campaign by anti-migrant groups. Journalists are investigating who is behind the movement.
South Africa is currently witnessing an ugly wave of xenophobia, fueled by a coordinated online campaign from anti-migrant groups. The prejudiced rhetoric has seeped into mainstream news coverage, raising concerns among journalists who are now trying to uncover the orchestrators behind the movement.
Several South African journalists have launched investigations to identify the key players and funders of this digital campaign. They are also examining how the rhetoric has managed to gain traction in mainstream media.
Contributors to the analysis include Qaanitah Hunter, host of The Debrief; Aimee-Noel Mbiyozo, senior research consultant at the Institute for Security Studies; Al Jazeera English correspondent Haru Mutasa; and Herman Wasserman, professor at Stellenbosch University's Department of Journalism. Their insights highlight the dangerous interplay between online hate campaigns and real-world violence.
This segment is part of Al Jazeera's The Listening Post, which explores how the digital space can be weaponized to spread hatred and how societies can respond.
