Environment minister says attacks on social media affect perceptions of meteorology and denigrate researchers’ work
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Spain’s environment minister has written to prosecutors to warn of “an alarming increase” in hate speech and social media attacks directed against climate science communicators, meteorologists and researchers.
In a letter sent to hate crimes prosecutors on Wednesday, Sara Aagesen said a number of recent reports examined by the ministry had detected a “significant increase” in the hostile language that climate experts are subjected to on digital platforms.
The minister said one study had found that 17.6% of those hostile messages posted on the social media network X included “hate speech, personal attacks and denigration directed at professionals who work to share correct and verified scientific information”.
