Racist abuse targeting England players during the World Cup was amplified by X's algorithm, according to new research by Hope Not Hate. The group analyzed over 300,000 posts on the platform and found more than 5,500 explicitly racist messages. They argue X's recommender system deliberately pushes inflammatory content into millions of feeds because outrage drives engagement and advertising revenue.

"X is actually benefiting from this hate," said Patrik Hermansson, senior researcher at Hope Not Hate. "It drives engagement on its platform and it effectively uses its algorithm to elevate and show it to more of its users."

Hope Not Hate criticized current moderation efforts as reactive rather than preventive, noting that blocking and reporting tools don't stop algorithmic amplification. They urged UK regulator Ofcom to use its powers under the Online Safety Act to designate major sporting events as "high risk" and require platforms to implement safety-by-design measures.

Ofcom responded that it is pushing tech firms to make services safer and cited a new partnership with police and footballing bodies to tackle online abuse before major events.