Elon Musk's X Platform Fueled Far-Right Riots In Ireland, Experts Say

By CBS News, CBS San Francisco

December 4, 2023

Elon Musk's social media platform X has fueled far-right disinformation in Ireland and played a key role in riots last month in the country's capital Dublin, experts tell CBS News. The violent clashes erupted on Nov. 23 between about 200 civilians and riot police in central Dublin as demonstrators vented rage after a stabbing incident that left multiple people wounded earlier in the day, including a 5-year-old girl who was hospitalized with serious injuries.

False reports circulating on social media had suggested the stabbings were carried out by an illegal immigrant. The assailant was in fact a naturalized Irish citizen originally from Algeria.

The violence, which saw a tram and a bus set on fire and stores looted, was partially incited by far-right local actors with significant followings on X, which was called Twitter before Musk bought the platform.

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