Disinformation on the other topics constantly monitored remained almost stable or decreased slightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DISINFORMATION ON IMMIGRATION EXPLOITS CURRENT EVENTS TO DRIVE XENOPHOBIA AND ALARMISM, INCITING VIOLENCE<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAside from the usual false stories that portray migrants collectively as<\/a> criminals<\/a>, opposed<\/a> to Western values or favored<\/a> by governments<\/a> and the EU<\/a> in comparison to national citizens, a new wave of false stories exploited dramatic events in various countries to blame the deaths that occurred on migrants. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAt the end of July, a stabbing attack in Southport, UK, left three children dead during a dance class. Hours later, disinformation<\/a> and false rumors that the attacker was an asylum seeker<\/a> fueled far-right riots, which led to violence in the streets and the injury of over 50 police officers. As happened last year in a similar episode in Dublin<\/a>, extremists<\/a> and far-right activists<\/a> ignited the violence with several false claims online, which were also reshared by prominent public figures, such as Elon Musk<\/a>, the owner of X, who also talked about<\/a> an \u201cinevitable civil war\u201d in the UK. A number of false claims<\/a> related to<\/a> the protests in England \u2013 blaming<\/a> migrants<\/a>, targeting<\/a> police officers<\/a> and victimizing far-right protesters<\/a> \u2013 soon spread in several EU countries (see slide X).
Furthermore, exploiting the stabbing of an 11-year-old boy in a Spanish village, disinformation<\/a> and baseless claims<\/a> alleged without evidence that the attacker was a migrant, calling on citizens to take to the streets<\/a> and leading to racist hate speech<\/a> on social media. A disinformation narrative claiming that four children were murdered in a few hours in Spain<\/a> then spread in various countries. These episodes \u2013 as well as the terrorist attack that occurred in Solingen<\/a>, Germany \u2013 have been used by far-right groups to spread xenophobia and conspiracies<\/a>, such as the so-called \u201cGreat Replacement\u201d and, more in general, the attempt<\/a> by migrants<\/a> to colonize<\/a> Europe.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.idmo.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Schermata-2024-09-17-alle-11.56.53-1024x715.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
THE FOUR FALSE STORIES WITH THE WIDEST CIRCULATION IN THE EU IN AUGUST, BASED ON THE EU FACT-CHECKERS\u2019 REPORTS, WERE:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n– The Algerine boxer Imane Khelif is a man
<\/a>– Ukraine’s President Zelensky bought<\/a> Sting\u2019s wine estate in Tuscany in June 2024
– Monkeypox virus is transmitted through<\/a> COVID-19 vaccines
– The U.K. is releasing violent offenders from prisons to make room<\/a> for people arrested amid Southport riots<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end of July, a stabbing attack in Southport, UK, left three children dead during a dance class. Hours later, disinformation<\/a> and false rumors that the attacker was an asylum seeker<\/a> fueled far-right riots, which led to violence in the streets and the injury of over 50 police officers. As happened last year in a similar episode in Dublin<\/a>, extremists<\/a> and far-right activists<\/a> ignited the violence with several false claims online, which were also reshared by prominent public figures, such as Elon Musk<\/a>, the owner of X, who also talked about<\/a> an \u201cinevitable civil war\u201d in the UK. A number of false claims<\/a> related to<\/a> the protests in England \u2013 blaming<\/a> migrants<\/a>, targeting<\/a> police officers<\/a> and victimizing far-right protesters<\/a> \u2013 soon spread in several EU countries (see slide X). – The Algerine boxer Imane Khelif is a man
Furthermore, exploiting the stabbing of an 11-year-old boy in a Spanish village, disinformation<\/a> and baseless claims<\/a> alleged without evidence that the attacker was a migrant, calling on citizens to take to the streets<\/a> and leading to racist hate speech<\/a> on social media. A disinformation narrative claiming that four children were murdered in a few hours in Spain<\/a> then spread in various countries. These episodes \u2013 as well as the terrorist attack that occurred in Solingen<\/a>, Germany \u2013 have been used by far-right groups to spread xenophobia and conspiracies<\/a>, such as the so-called \u201cGreat Replacement\u201d and, more in general, the attempt<\/a> by migrants<\/a> to colonize<\/a> Europe.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
THE FOUR FALSE STORIES WITH THE WIDEST CIRCULATION IN THE EU IN AUGUST, BASED ON THE EU FACT-CHECKERS\u2019 REPORTS, WERE:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>– Ukraine’s President Zelensky bought<\/a> Sting\u2019s wine estate in Tuscany in June 2024
– Monkeypox virus is transmitted through<\/a> COVID-19 vaccines
– The U.K. is releasing violent offenders from prisons to make room<\/a> for people arrested amid Southport riots<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.idmo.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Schermata-2024-09-17-alle-11.58.12-1024x698.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n