Racist Social Media User Barry Stanton Suspended on X After Outcry From Indian Community

Barry Stanton, an anonymous social media user known for posting racist content against India, has had his X account suspended following widespread backlash.

His account was reportedly suspended on Friday after his posts were flagged by hundreds of Indian users, who expressed outrage over his hateful remarks.  Stanton, who boasted a verified account with close to two lakh followers, frequently shared derogatory cartoons depicting Indians in a negative light.

Before the suspension, his posts included comments about racially charged statements about Indians. The hashtag “suspended” trended on X following the announcement of Stanton’s account suspension.

‘Withhold the account’

Several Indian users took action by reporting Stanton’s account to authorities, including Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and the Indian High Commission in the UK. “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,” Indian user Akshit Singh wrote on his X account.

Other X users stressed the need for an investigation into the account’s activities, calling it a platform for hate speech targeting individuals based on race and nationality. Interestingly, reports suggest that Barry Stanton may not be a real person.

Stanton’s profile

Before his account was suspended, Stanton’s profile featured images of a man from Worcestershire, whose identity had been misappropriated. The account has been described as either a parody aimed at mocking racists or a genuine racist hiding behind another person’s identity.

The controversy surrounding Stanton’s account has sparked broader debate about the role of social media in amplifying hate speech and the responsibilities of platform owners like Elon Musk. Critics argue that the current algorithms on X promote racist content, thereby increasing its visibility and impact.