Muslim Civil Rights Group Cites New Report on Anti-Muslim Extremism

Social media platforms flooded with 4.7 million Islamophobic posts in 2025, study finds

A new study by Equality Labs reveals that Muslim communities in the United States faced an onslaught of more than 4.7 million Islamophobic social media posts in 2025, according to an announcement from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

The comprehensive report, titled “Manufactured Hate – The Muslim Invasion Conspiracy,” documents how widespread anti-Muslim content has become across major social media platforms, with researchers noting that these harmful narratives are increasingly being amplified by certain public officials.

“Disinformation is driving policy with real harms,” said Corey Saylor, CAIR’s Research and Advocacy Director. “Public officials in both Texas and Florida drove campaigns in 2025 painting Muslims as suspicious and outside the circle of protected religious and civic life.”

The study identified Texas and Florida as the states most frequently associated with Islamophobic disinformation last year. This finding aligns with recent policy initiatives in both states that have faced criticism for targeting Muslim communities.

Among the most prevalent themes identified in the research were conspiracy theories about Muslims undermining American society, calls to investigate Muslim organizations and leaders, and demands for deportation of Muslim residents. The manufactured “Muslim invasion” theory appears particularly prominent in the analyzed content.

Social media companies have long faced criticism for their content moderation policies regarding hate speech and misinformation. Despite platform policies against hate speech, the sheer volume of anti-Muslim content documented in the study raises questions about the effectiveness of current enforcement measures.

The spread of such content online has real-world consequences, experts warn. Research has consistently shown connections between online hate speech and offline violence against targeted communities. The normalization of anti-Muslim rhetoric on social media platforms can contribute to a climate where discrimination becomes more accepted.

The findings come at a time when anti-Muslim sentiment has reached alarming levels nationwide. CAIR’s own 2025 Civil Rights Report, titled “Unconstitutional Crackdowns,” had previously documented that Islamophobia remains at record-high levels across the country.

Dr. Jasmin Zine, Professor of Sociology at Wilfrid Laurier University and author of several studies on Islamophobia, explained in a recent interview with the Associated Press that “social media has become a primary vector for the spread of Islamophobic narratives that were once confined to fringe websites.”

“When these narratives move from social media to mainstream political discourse, we see a dangerous normalization process,” Zine added.

The Equality Labs study also highlights the sophisticated nature of anti-Muslim disinformation campaigns, noting that certain narratives are strategically deployed during election cycles or following international events to maximize impact.

Media experts have called for more robust content moderation, better algorithmic transparency, and increased digital literacy education to combat the spread of such harmful content.

The report comes amid growing calls from civil rights organizations for technology companies to take stronger action against hate speech on their platforms. Several advocacy groups have pushed for more transparent reporting on content moderation decisions and clearer policies regarding religious-based harassment.

CAIR officials indicated they would use the findings to continue advocating for policy changes at both the platform and governmental levels to address the ongoing issue of online Islamophobia and its offline impacts on Muslim American communities.