Social Media Outcry: X suspends user Barry Stanton amid Indian outrage over racist posts

X user suspended after backlash

A social media account notorious for its racist and offensive content against Indians, Jews, and Africans has been suspended. The account, belonging to Barry Stanton, a user with nearly 200,000 followers, was known for sharing derogatory cartoons and hateful comments.

According to News18, the suspension followed intense backlash from Indian users who condemned Stanton's actions, including graphic depictions of Indians in unsanitary conditions and comments about excluding them from “white neighbourhoods.” Indian users also contacted authorities, including Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Indian High Commission in the UK, demanding action.

“An email has been sent to Ashwini Vaishnaw, @MIB_India, to withhold the account of Barry Stanton in India, and one copy also has been sent to the UK High Commission in India,” stated Indian user Akshit Singh.

Kindly repost so that authorities can take immediate action:An email has been sent to @AshwiniVaishnaw , @MIB_India to withhold the account of Barry Stanton In India and one copy also has been sent to the UK high commission in India.Pehle isko legally pelenge usk baad iska pic.twitter.com/qaCyjuBmOX

Akshit Singh (@IndianSinghh) August 29, 2024

Despite the suspension, some speculate that Stanton may not be a real person. The account’s profile featured images of a man from Worcestershire, whose identity was reportedly misappropriated. Speculations suggest the account could be a parody designed to mock racists or a genuine racist using someone else’s identity.

This incident has sparked a broader discussion about social media's role in propagating hate speech and the responsibilities of platform owners. Critics, including some Indian users, have called out X owner Elon Musk and questioned the effectiveness of the platform’s algorithms, which they argue contribute to the visibility and spread of racist content. The controversy highlights ongoing concerns about how social media platforms manage and regulate hate speech.

Barry Stanton’s X bio claims he is a British national and father of five, with nearly 200,000 followers. His account, known for offensive content, has garnered thousands of likes and retweets over several years. A 2017 New Statesman report revealed that Stanton’s images were stolen from a pensioner in Worcestershire.

The report suggests that Barry Stanton may be either a parody created by someone mocking racists or a racist hiding behind a false identity. Storyful’s UK Editor, Kevin Donnellan, traced the account to its original Facebook page, confirming that Barry Stanton is a fake identity used by an anonymous troll to spread anti-Indian content.

Recently, a controversial British YouTuber Miles Routledge faced severe backlash earlier this month for racist remarks targeting India on X. The controversy began when Routledge posted a screengrab of a threatening message from an unidentified user, accusing them of being Indian despite no evidence of their nationality. His mocking response included his address and a derogatory imitation of an Indian accent.

This post quickly drew criticism for its racist undertones. Routledge escalated the situation with another post suggesting he might use nuclear weapons on India if he were prime minister of England, stating he was "itching to launch and atomize entire nations over the smallest infraction." These comments provoked immediate and widespread backlash.