Bot Sentinel, a service that tracks fake Twitter accounts, released a report that examined data for the month of October 2021. According to the report, the service found that out of 114,000 tweets about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the same 83 accounts “were responsible for approximately 70% of the original and derivative hate content.” Though 83 accounts may not sound like too many in the grand scheme of the Internet, their collective reach is still substantial: Bot Sentinel noted in its report that the accounts have an “estimated combined unique potential reach of 17,000,000 users.” Bot Sentinel also noted that based on the retweet and mention activity, it appeared the same Twitter accounts worked together to cyberbully the pair. The report reads in part, “Our research revealed these accounts were brazenly coordinating on the platform, and at least one account was openly recruiting people to join their hate initiative on Twitter.” In addition to the accounts’ own activity, Twitter’s algorithm may exacerbate hate campaigns, as Bot Sentinel reported that after they viewed two anti-Sussex accounts, Twitter suggested they follow numerous others. “Our research found that a relatively small number of single-purpose anti-Meghan and Harry accounts created and disseminated most of the hateful content on Twitter. However, the primary accounts had assistance that allowed their content to be repackaged and shared by accounts with a considerable following. We observed the primary accounts coordinating their activities and using various techniques to avoid detection. In short, the majority of the anti-Meghan and Harry activity wasn’t organic.” The report also noted that while most of the accounts had previously been suspended, many used what Bot Sentinel called “coded” racist language (think dog-whistling) as opposed to overtly racist terms, in addition to calling themselves parodies in their bios, to bypass some of Twitter’s rules. As it stands, most of the accounts were, in fact, bots, the service reported, which may or may not be a relief to the couple. “Our research found that a relatively small number of single-purpose anti-Meghan and Harry accounts created and disseminated most of the hateful content on Twitter. However, the primary accounts had assistance that allowed their content to be repackaged and shared by accounts with a considerable following,” Bot Sentinel’s report stated. “We observed the primary accounts coordinating their activities and using various techniques to avoid detection. In short, the majority of the anti-Meghan and Harry activity wasn’t organic.” Following the report’s publication, Bot Sentinel founder Christopher Bouzy said that “the owners of Twelve accounts on the list either deactivated their accounts or protected their tweets. The accounts in question used the same avoidance tactics outlined in our report.” He added, “We observed a significant decrease in the activity targeting Meghan and Harry shortly after we published the report. If the activity had been organic, it is highly unlikely we would have witnessed such a sharp decrease in such a short period of time.” Bouzy also was quick to note that the accounts in question were specifically created and exclusively used to attack the Archewell founders. “Let me be clear, the report is not about a group of accounts who just say ‘mean things,’” he wrote. “They are single-purpose accounts dedicated to creating and disseminating hateful and often fictitious content meant to deceive, and they openly coordinate on and off Twitter.” Bouzy also revealed that the accounts in the report doxxed him after the study was announced, releasing his private information, fabricating tweets allegedly from members of his family, and even harassing his dead mother. “I became a target for simply investigating hate accounts targeting Meghan and Harry. I understand some of you don’t care about the royal family, but this isn’t about that,” he wrote. “People created single-purpose hate accounts to target private citizens, and anyone can become a target of this type of sinister hate campaign. After living this eye-opening and terrifying experience, I have decided to do something about it.” That “something” is creating a tool called Hate Tracker, which monitors single-purpose hate accounts to make Twitter easier to navigate for everyone else. Prince Harry and Markle each previously spoke out about the ills of social media and hows its affected them, with Markle revealing she had been suicidal over her treatment online and in the press. In 2019, Kensington Palace announced that they would take action against social media accounts that harassed and trolled Meghan and Kate Middleton. Last year, Markle revealed on the Teenager Therapy podcast that she was the “most trolled person in the entire world” in 2019, even while she was on maternity leave and not making public appearances at all. The former Suits actress called the online abuse “almost unsurvivable,” explaining, “I don’t care if you’re 15 or 25, if people are saying things about you that aren’t true, what that does to your mental and emotional health is so damaging.” The couple reportedly quit social media for good due to the trolling and abuse they faced. Harry added at the time, “Our situation is somewhat unique but then every single person’s situation is unique, it’s a different version of the same thing. For Meghan, she said on a global scale, that’s what happened in 2019, but if you’re a young girl or young boy at school, that’s your world, so if you’re being attacked, or being bullied or whatever is online … it feels the same. I think it’s very easy to be sucked in and consumed by negativity, but we all have the choice to be able to cut that out of our lives.” “Hate following has become a thing,” the ginger prince said. “You don’t need to do that. Just as much as we worry about, be concerned, and take notice of what we put in our bellies as a diet, the same applies for our eyes and our mind, what we’re consuming is affecting us. For me, I made the choice not to read it, not to see it, and to remove myself from that, and to very much focus on the uplifting and the hopeful side.” Next, want to moderate your own social media use? Check out these expert tips on using platforms wisely—and how to unplug.
