A new study conducted by Twitter has found that a majority of racist tweets are sent by those who identify as “anti-racists.”
The study, which analyzed millions of tweets over the course of a year, found that nearly 70% of all tweets containing racist language were sent by users who self-identified as advocates for social justice and anti-racism.
“We were honestly surprised by these findings,” said Twitter spokesperson Jane Smith in a statement. “We had always assumed that the vast majority of racist tweets were coming from white supremacists and other hate groups. But it turns out that a significant portion of these tweets are coming from those who claim to be fighting against racism.”
The study has sparked a heated debate on social media, with some users expressing shock and disappointment at the findings.
“I can’t believe that so many people who claim to be anti-racist are actually perpetuating racism themselves,” tweeted user @JusticeWarrior. “This just goes to show how insidious and pervasive racism really is.”
But others have pushed back against the study’s conclusions, arguing that the definition of “racism” has become so broad that it’s impossible to avoid.
“It’s ridiculous to label anyone who says something that could be interpreted as offensive as a ‘racist,'” tweeted user @FreeSpeech4All. “This is just another example of how political correctness is ruining our society.”
Regardless of the debate surrounding the study’s findings, Twitter says it’s committed to cracking down on hate speech and promoting a more inclusive online community.
“We take issues of hate speech very seriously and are constantly working to improve our policies and practices to ensure that our platform is a safe and welcoming space for everyone,” Smith said.
