Recent revelations on social media show how anti-Muslim hatred is being manufactured, monetised, and deliberately pushed into the feeds of gullible audiences in the West.
A new feature on X (formerly Twitter) now reveals the location of accounts based on IP addresses. It has exposed that many of the loudest anti-Muslim accounts claiming to be British or American patriots are actually run from countries in Asia and Africa.
These operators have learned to capitalise on people’s naivety, fears and prejudice by posting Islamophobic content that reliably goes viral — and viral posts mean income.
X’s updated “About this account” panel also helps identify bots, scams, and impersonators. It has already uncovered multiple supposedly pro-MAGA or anti-immigrant accounts that are seemingly run from other countries and openly exploiting Western political divisions for profit.
Since Elon Musk took over X, commentators say the platform has seen a spike in anti-Muslim content and argue that the algorithm actively boosts such material.
A growing market for hate
A recent investigation showed how a Sri Lankan content creator reportedly earned $300,000 producing anti-immigrant and Islamophobic posts designed to appeal to gullible Brits.
The joint investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ), the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), and The Times revealed that Geeth Sooriyapura’s network of pages has more than a million followers.
He openly admitted targeting older British audiences because “they don’t like immigrants,” describing the UK as an especially profitable market due to its emotional reactions to migration.
One of his popular posts pushed the falsehood that Sadiq Khan was building homes “only for Muslims.” The misinformation distorted an interview the Islam Channel conducted during the 2024 mayoral campaign and has been debunked multiple times.
His “academy” claims to have taught thousands how to replicate this model, mostly on Facebook.
The pages promote anti-Labour and anti-Muslim narratives, while being overtly supportive of figures like Nigel Farage and Reform UK.
Much of the content is AI-generated: simple images paired with dramatic music are enough to attract clicks, build engagement, and generate revenue.
The political industry behind Islamophobia
The commercialisation of Islamophobia mirrors a wider political trend. Islam Channel recently spoke to Professor Peter Hopkins, whose new book Everyday Islamophobia argues that anti-Muslim hatred is now a global industry supported by networks of organisations, activists, lobbyists, and influencers who benefit financially and politically from spreading fear.
Hopkins says that in some cases, particularly in the US, people are earning six-figure salaries by producing Islamophobic content — for example, writing blog posts or media pieces that demonise Muslims, sometimes spending just a day or two on the work while reaching global audiences.
According to Hopkins, Islamophobia is not just an online scam to make money, but it’s also driven by political agendas, media narratives, and ideological campaigns that rely on dehumanising Muslims.
In the United States, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) recently held a webinar outlining how coordinated networks are deliberately fueling anti-Muslim hysteria.
The panel warned that the recent uptick is linked with pro-Israel groups and political actors who are amplifying Islamophobic narratives to silence critics of Israel’s actions in Gaza and to shift public opinion.
This alignment — between political interests and opportunistic online profiteers — is helping to normalise anti-Muslim hatred on a scale not seen in years.
