Saturday, November 11, 2023

Xenophobic Messages on Russian Web Ever More Numerous, Nastier and Threatening, Experts Say

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Nov. 9 – The Moscow Human Rights Bureau’s Aleksandr Brod says that his organization has identified more than four million cases of xenophobic expression on the Russian web during the first three quarters of 2023; and Margarita Lange of Nazaccent says they are growing in number and becoming ever more numerous and nasty.

            Most of these posts and messages concern attacks based on stereotypes, but some go further, the two suggest, and attack groups as such. The former, which they describe as “everyday” xenophobia, account for about 80 percent (nazaccent.ru/content/41486-s-nachala-goda-polzovateli-rossijskih-socsetej-ostavili-bolee-4-mln-ksenofobskih-vyskazyvanij.html).

            Given the number of all posts and messages on the Russian segment of the internet, the number is relatively small and not that worrisome. A greater matter of concern is that Russians appear ever more ready to send such messages and to use terms that suggest they are more hostile to members of other groups than before.

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