The Guardian reports that “a global network of anti-Muslim activists is using Twitter bots, fake news and the manipulation of images to influence political discourse.” Patrik Hermansson, a researcher for the UK advocacy group Hope not Hate, remarks that “the growth among Twitter accounts and websites spreading anti-Muslim hate is alarming. In such a key area of public interest, it is an indication of increased interest in these views and, as each account or site grows, more people are exposed to deeply prejudiced anti-Muslim views.”
For example, Hope Not Hate found that the impact of tweets from Pamela Geller (seen as one of the figureheads for the anti-Muslim movement) was magnified by 102 bots with automated or semi-automated accounts that automatically tweeted or retweet their content. The study also found a network of online forums and image boards which spread fabricated anti-Muslim social media campaigns.
