'Idiots. All idiots.' CNN's breathless report on 'surge in anti-Asian racism online' revolves around 'a new study' that no serious person should take seriously

Sarah D | 12:33 PM on April 10, 2020

Thank goodness we’ve got CNN to give us access to Real News, Mr. President. Real News like this:

A new study backs up what has already been documented anecdotally in the last few months: The coronavirus pandemic has coincided with a surge in Sinophobic, or anti-Chinese, sentiments — especially online. https://t.co/vK303jU4C0

— CNN (@CNN) April 10, 2020

COVID19 is bad enough in this country. But racism on top of it? This is the kind of news America needs to hear.

Except not really. Because here’s how the “study” CNN is breathlessly citing was conducted:

They found more Asian slurs than normal on 4chan. https://t.co/q7N0XRaDSW

— neontaster (@neontaster) April 10, 2020

My God, Neon's not kidding. The "study" literally based itself on tracking 4chan. https://t.co/NrTrEdgLS4

— Jeff B, fightin' the COVID one bootleg at a time (@EsotericCD) April 10, 2020

This is not a drill, folks:

Researchers at the Network Contagion Research Institute, an independent third party that tracks misinformation and hate across social media channels, released a report Wednesday that looked at the spread of hate online toward Asians in congruence with the pandemic.

“As a conjoined threat, outbreaks of hate and disinformation on social media comprise unparalleled dangers to society in the face of actual viral pandemics, such as Covid-19,” according to the study, which is titled “Weaponized Information Outbreak: A Case Study on Covid-19, Bioweapon Myths, and the Asian Conspiracy Meme.”

“NCRI’s research indicates that hateful communities may serve as sources of spread for disinformation and propaganda during politically volatile events for purposes of hate.”

The group of researchers first looked at 4chan, an online bulletin board that frequently features offensive posts, and found a rise in derogatory terms for Chinese people around February of this year. Other terms and slurs toward minority groups decreased or flatlined in relation to topics surrounding the virus, research found.

The sentiments reflected in 4chan’s forum, researchers said, also were linked to conspiracy theories surrounding Asian people and coronavirus. One claim suggested that coronavirus is a bioweapon created by China’s government and transmitted by Chinese people.

this "recommendation" from the study is pure gold: "We recommend consensus building and democratic outreach within and between social media platforms to create better integration across communities and converge on shared norms around weaponized information."

— jerylbier (@JerylBier) April 10, 2020

Shut it down. CNN, that is. At least until we can figure out what the hell is going on over there.