An international backlash is taking place against LGBTI rights, with increased stigmatization and a scaling back of civil liberties in the US and Europe. The Nordic region, has seen a rise in hate and intolerance as reported by national queer organisations. Similar attacks on the rights of queer people are taking place online. The project intends to track whether online platforms are pushing hate-driven indoctrination to users.

A 2024 study by Dublin City University found that brand new YouTube and TikTok accounts, registered as belonging to teenage boys, were exposed to anti-feminist content within 23 minutes. Within hours, over 75% of their feeds were filled with hate-driven narratives. Thus, social media algorithms risk radicalizing young men by feeding them hateful content at an alarming rate.

Project partners aim to replicate this experiment — this time focusing on anti-LGBTI content. Using new social media accounts with controlled search patterns, we will track whether or not platforms are pushing hate-driven indoctrination to users – and if they are, how fast and how aggressively homophobic and/or transphobic content is being recommended.