Hate Speech on Social Media Threatens Spain's Climate Scientists and Meteorologists, Minister Warns
A disturbing trend has emerged in Spain where climate scientists, meteorologists, and researchers are facing an alarming increase in hate speech and social media attacks. Environment Minister Sara Aagesen has written to prosecutors, urging them to take action against these hostile messages.
According to a study, 17.6% of the hostile messages posted on X, a popular social media platform, included "hate speech, personal attacks, and denigration directed at professionals who work to share correct and verified scientific information." This surge in hate speech has led Aagesen to warn that it's affecting not only climate experts but also other scientific communication professionals.
The research reveals that these attacks are having a chilling effect on scientists, discouraging them from interacting with the public or communicating their research openly. In fact, one study found that social pressure and smear campaigns can limit scientific progress and restrict public access to accurate information.
Climate emergency denialism is also prevalent on X, with denialism identified in 49.1% of posts and climate-related hate speech in 17.6%. The spread of conspiracy theories about climate control and weather manipulation directly affects the perception of current climate alerts, undermining global efforts to mitigate and respond to climate change.
For those working in this field, the impact is personal. A spokesperson for Spain's state meteorological office, Aemet, described feeling "bad" when seeing messages attacking him, often using his photo for made-up claims he had never made.
The minister has assured prosecutors that her ministry will provide any necessary assistance to help combat these attacks. As the fight against climate disinformation intensifies, it's essential that we protect those who are bravely sharing accurate information and working to address this pressing global issue.
A disturbing trend has emerged in Spain where climate scientists, meteorologists, and researchers are facing an alarming increase in hate speech and social media attacks. Environment Minister Sara Aagesen has written to prosecutors, urging them to take action against these hostile messages.
According to a study, 17.6% of the hostile messages posted on X, a popular social media platform, included "hate speech, personal attacks, and denigration directed at professionals who work to share correct and verified scientific information." This surge in hate speech has led Aagesen to warn that it's affecting not only climate experts but also other scientific communication professionals.
The research reveals that these attacks are having a chilling effect on scientists, discouraging them from interacting with the public or communicating their research openly. In fact, one study found that social pressure and smear campaigns can limit scientific progress and restrict public access to accurate information.
Climate emergency denialism is also prevalent on X, with denialism identified in 49.1% of posts and climate-related hate speech in 17.6%. The spread of conspiracy theories about climate control and weather manipulation directly affects the perception of current climate alerts, undermining global efforts to mitigate and respond to climate change.
For those working in this field, the impact is personal. A spokesperson for Spain's state meteorological office, Aemet, described feeling "bad" when seeing messages attacking him, often using his photo for made-up claims he had never made.
The minister has assured prosecutors that her ministry will provide any necessary assistance to help combat these attacks. As the fight against climate disinformation intensifies, it's essential that we protect those who are bravely sharing accurate information and working to address this pressing global issue.
. I mean, they’re just trying to do their job and share info that can help us deal with the climate crisis, and people are going after them with hate speech and personal attacks online 
. It’s not cool and it’s not okay.
. Like, come on guys, we need accurate info to deal with this issue! And it’s even worse when people are attacking these scientists personally, using their photos for made-up claims... that’s just low 
.
. There are so many other ways to disagree without being mean-spirited 
. And maybe we can all take a step back and try to understand why climate scientists are so passionate about this topic... they're trying to save the planet, after all 
!
. I mean, come on, 17.6% hate speech is just not cool 
. It's like they're trying to shut down progress 
. Can't we all just agree on climate change and work together 
. And what's with the denialism 
? It's like some folks think science doesn't exist 
.
I'm so late to this thread but... I think it's wild that people can get away with harassing climate scientists online. Like, what's the point of even posting if you're just gonna insult someone for trying to educate us about something as important as climate change? 
17.6% of comments include hate speech & personal attacks 
it's not just about them, it affects all scientific communication professionals too 
i'm so done with climate emergency denialism 
. we gotta protect them, not just 4 their sake but also 4 the progress of science & public health 
like, I know climate change is real and all but honestly can't someone just make me laugh for once? 
. Anyway, back to climate scientists... I feel bad for them having to deal with all this hate speech. They're just trying to do their job and help us out.
. I wonder if climate scientists get any discounts on pianos or something...
Climate scientists in Spain are getting roasted online 
. They're doing their best to save us from the climate crisis, and we should be supporting them 
not tearing them down 
, like who even thinks that's a thing 
, anyway, gotta keep spreading awareness about climate change & the importance of accurate info 
, we need more ppl like Sara Aagesen speaking out against this disinformation 
It's disgusting. I'm tired of seeing fake news and conspiracy theories spreading like wildfire online. Can't we trust our facts from credible sources for once? 
We need to stand up for these people and support them in sharing their knowledge. 
. I'm not saying climate scientists should be above criticism, but when the tone turns toxic and personal, that's where we need to step in 
. The fact that these researchers are feeling bad about getting their photo used for fake claims is just sad 
.
... I'm not saying it's impossible to have disagreements online, but do we need to stoop to personal attacks? 
Anyway, hope the Spanish government is able to crack down on this stuff... gotta protect those scientists 
! It's not just affecting their work, but also mental health 
. Can't believe the extent of denialism too - 49.1% of posts denying climate change? Mind-blowing 
. Climate emergency is real, and we can't afford to ignore it 
. Let's create a safe space for open discussion & fact-sharing 
. As if it's not bad enough that we're facing an existential crisis, we need to add the pressure of being bullied or smeared online for trying to do our jobs 
we gotta protect these brave scientists who r working day & night 2 help us combat climate change 
. We need to create a culture where experts can share their work without fear of online bullying 
I've been saying this for ages, but people really need to get a grip on how their words can hurt others 
. It's not like they're asking for attention or anything 
. We need to start treating each other with kindness and respect, especially when it comes to something as important as climate change