Toxic, targeted threats - the online abuse faced by MPs
A Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ investigation suggests that more than 3,000 offensive tweets are sent to MPs every day. But could this be shaping policy in a dangerous way?
A Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ investigation into online abuse suggests that more than 3,000 offensive tweets are being sent to MPs every single day. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ analysis of tweets aimed at politicians over a six-week period found 130,000 - or one in 20 - could be classed as "toxic" or harmful and unpleasant. It also found that female MPs were slightly more likely to receive a toxic rated tweet, as well as ones using sexualised language or attacking the basis of their intelligence. So what impact is this having on the people on the receiving end? Could the level of abuse even be shaping policy? And what can be done to curb this problem? In this episode of 5 Minutes On, Paul Lynch - a journalist with the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's shared data unit - has been investigating the online abuse facing MPs.
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