Arabic version: تقرير يربط خوارزميات إكس بالإساءات العنصرية ضد لاعبي إنجلترا

According to BBC News, research by activist group Hope Not Hate found that racist abuse directed at England footballers on X during the 2026 World Cup was amplified by algorithms designed to maximise engagement and profit. The group analysed more than 300,000 posts on the platform, formerly Twitter, and identified more than 5,500 explicitly racist posts targeting England players.

Hope Not Hate said X’s recommender algorithm pushed toxic material into millions of feeds because anger-provoking posts can generate interaction, keep users on the service longer and potentially support advertising revenue. Senior researcher Patrik Hermansson said the content appeared in recommendation feeds rather than remaining in obscure parts of the platform. X has been approached for comment.

Jude Bellingham was the player most targeted by racist abuse, the research found. Bukayo Saka and Kobbie Mainoo faced the highest proportion of racist content compared with the total number of posts mentioning them. Djed Spence, who has converted to Islam in recent years, was also subjected to a distinct stream of anti-Muslim abuse, Hope Not Hate said.

An FA spokesperson said all players should be able to play without exposure to hateful, discriminatory and distressing online content, and called on service providers to take necessary steps to make life online safer. Hope Not Hate said responses such as blocking users, reporting posts and suspending accounts do not address the algorithmic amplification of abuse.

The group urged Ofcom to use powers under the Online Safety Act more effectively, designate major sporting events as high risk and require platforms to apply safety-by-design rules. It also proposed downranking posts that attract large volumes of abuse. Ofcom said it was pushing technology firms to make services safer and would hold them to account, while citing a new partnership with police and football bodies before the World Cup.