A Preview of Post Amnesty Twitter: Analysis of “Groomer” on Twitter After the Colorado Springs Shooting

On November 24, 2022 Elon Musk stated that “general amnesty” would be given to Twitter accounts previously suspended for violent threats, harassment and misinformation. This appears to reflect Musk’s previously stated intent to run the platform as a “free speech absolutist.” The question in many people’s minds is what such an incarnation of Twitter will look like. The tragic shooting at an LGBTQIA+ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Nov. 19-20 and the reaction the event generated on the platform provide a case that demonstrates the tensions that will come with reduced platform moderation. “Groomer,” a previously Twitter restricted slur against the LGBTQIA+ community, was widely utilized in tweets in the period after the attack showing both the virality of hate speech and the community’s response. This study evaluates the extent of visibility of the term “groomer” on Twitter and provides context for platform divisions when content controls are eased

Protests and Calls for Boycotting the Qatar World Cup 2022 Spark Online Discussion and Action Away from the Soccer Pitch

Global sporting events regularly spark conversations on issues beyond the playing field, including those at the nexus of sport and geopolitics. This year’s World Cup is no exception, a conversation that began soon after the event was awarded by FIFA to Qatar, a Middle Eastern nation with a population of just over 3 million residents – exponentially smaller than typical hosts of such events – and with a record of exploitative labor systems and a highly questionable human rights record. While this conversation has led to protests and investigative reports on a range of news networks, it has also become a touchpoint of conversation on social media, a place where sports fans and critics often convene and to rally behind athletes, teams, and movements. This study will examine recent conversation about the upcoming World Cup and human rights issues. More specifically, it will measure social media conversation and sentiment around the rising question of boycotting the event. In other words, this study will examine what people are saying on social media about boycotting the World Cup and what impact that might have on the protest movement and the event itself

An Analysis Of Players, Teams And Trends As The World Cup Approaches

While the World Cup is historically a source of national pride for competing nations, the globalization of the sport of soccer and the expansion of coverage of top soccer leagues from around the world also creates the opportunity for sports fans to build a strong sense of fandom for athletes from around the globe. Therefore, while we would expect fans to cheer for their “home” nation and athletes in the upcoming World Cup, we also recognize that fans may have cheering alliances that reside outside national borders. Using the United States as example, its fans have increasingly chosen favorite teams and players from international leagues such as the English Premier League (EPL) and Spain’s LaLiga, both which employ star athletes from around the world. Thus, it is likely that fans across the globe may have rooting interests outside of their home nation