Within 24 hours of launch, hate speech & misinformation spread across Zuckerberg's 'Threads': Report

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has expressed his intention to prioritise "kindness" in his company's new Threads app. He says, that in contrast to Twitter, which has faced an increase in hate speech and misinformation, Threads is an attempt at creating a friendly and successful platform. However, within days of the platform being launched, right-wing figures have already begun challenging the app's content moderation practices by posting hate speech and misinformation.

Billionaire Satanists and the ambition to "blow up" on Threads

Research by Media Matters shows that within "24 hours of Threads' release, right-wing and fringe figures signed up for the platform". As per the Guardian, among them are white nationalist Richard Spencer, the former Breitbart writer, and white supremacists such as Nick Fuentes, an outspoken antisemite.

Of these, Fuentes was suspended from Instagram in 2019. On July 6th, in a live stream, he announced to his followers that he has signed up for Threads using a fake Instagram account.

"I signed up for it last night. I made a fake Instagram. I got on a fake Thread."

He also instigated his followers to "try and build a big account. I mean, if you get in early, maybe some of you guys can blow up and red pill some people on there," reports the Guardian.

As per Reuters, some users on the new social media were seen discussing topics such as the Illuminati and "billionaire satanists," while others engaged in contentious debates on subjects ranging from gender identity to violence in the West Bank.

Another Twitter?

Threads is a free app linked to Instagram, requiring users to have an Instagram account. Therefore, the terms of use and community guidelines that govern Instagram also apply to Threads.

Instagram's guidelines prohibit support or praise of terrorism, organised crime, and hate groups, promising to remove content that contains credible threats or hate speech.

However, just like other social media platforms, Instagram too has faced difficulties in controlling hate speech and misinformation.

Last month, Instagram was criticised for reinstating the account of misinformation spreader Robert F Kennedy Jr and lifting the ban on Donald Trump's account earlier this year.

Meta has stated that it will apply the same rules used on Instagram to the Threads app and is relying on the existing infrastructure for content moderation. When attempting to follow accounts flagged for spreading misinformation, Threads displays a warning, similar to Instagram.

Right-wing accounts are testing Threads' policies by posting hate speech and misinformation. Some users even desire to be banned as a badge of honour. Far-right news outlets, including Breitbart News and the Gateway Pundit, have joined the app but have not posted much content yet.

According to Instagram's community guidelines, it is "not a place to support or praise terrorism, organised crime or hate groups".

Melanie Smith from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue warned that harmful and misleading content is already present on the app.

"We’re already seeing plenty of high-profile accounts that have been known to spread harmful and misleading content," she said.

Content moderation issues that have affected other platforms are likely to arise on Threads over time, according to Alexandra Popken, Twitter's former head of trust and safety operations.

Talking to Associated Press, she said: "I see brands like Slim Jim trying to be funny. I see influencers who I follow on Instagram and people who I care about in my life."

"There's like this period of time where the bad actors haven’t found it yet. It’s like this non-toxic, happy corner of the internet."