A new study found a link between the number of racist tweets and real-life hate crimes in 100 US cities
Rumi Chunara is a professor of computer science and engineering at NYU Tandon.
Researchers at NYU analyzed more than half a billion tweets out of 100 cities across the US — from major metropolises to rural towns — between 2011 and 2016. They found that the amount of tweets containing targeted racism out of many cities correlated with the number of racially motivated hate crimes that were reported in those same areas. "I think there's a sentiment in the targeted tweets that is likely related to fostering an environment for these crimes," researcher Rumi Chunara told Motherboard. "Meanwhile, having productive conversation might actually improve culture and outcomes."
