57% Support for X’s Counterterrorism Measures: A Survey on X’s Hamas Cleanup

In the wake of the recent conflict between Hamas and Israel, the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) has made headlines by taking a decisive stance against the militant group. The platform, led by CEO Linda Yaccarino, removed hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts and labeled or took down thousands of pieces of content associated with Hamas.

Under Elon Musk’s leadership, X continues to evolve after its rebranding from Twitter. While the spread of viral misinformation on social media is nothing new, some experts have argued that the moderation policies under Musk’s leadership have contributed to the issue.

To better understand how users perceive the platform’s role in addressing sensitive geopolitical issues, a survey launched by Real Research, an online survey app, attempted to gather opinions regarding X’s removal of hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts.

Here are the key findings of the survey report:

• The survey on X removing hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts revealed 57.98% of respondents supported X’s actions, while 42.02% opposed them.
• When X removed hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts, 55.27% opined that it posed a threat to freedom of speech.
• 68.35% believed that social media platforms should bear the responsibility of regulating content.

X Takes Down Hundreds of Accounts With Hamas Ties

Expressing concern about the surge in online disinformation and illegal content related to the Hamas-Israel conflict, EU Commissioner Thierry Breton has sought details on the steps social media platforms are taking to combat this issue.

In response, X’s CEO stated in a public letter that the platform has already removed numerous Hamas-affiliated accounts, targeting the dissemination of “terrorist content” online.

According to the survey results,  57.6% of respondents had heard or read about X’s removal of hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts, while 42.4% remained unaware of the development. Regarding their stance on the X’s action, 57.98% expressed support, while 42.02% opposed it.

Balancing Speech and Security

When asked whether X’s removal of hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts threatened freedom of speech, 55.72% of respondents answered affirmatively, while 44.28% disagreed.

Regarding the effectiveness of X’s removal of hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts in preventing the spread of misinformation and violence, opinions varied. A notable 53.27% believed it to be very effective, 32.12% considered it somewhat effective, 8.35% found it somewhat ineffective, and 6.27% deemed it very ineffective.

Responsibility of Social Media Platforms

Aside from X’s removal of hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts, the platform has also taken down posts involving “violent speech, manipulated media, and graphic media.” This aligns with the new EU content moderation law, the Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates large online platforms to remove illegal content and tackle public security and civic discourse risks.

In the broader context of content regulation, 59.83% of respondents expressed support for regulatory measures, while 40.17% opposed them. Specifically, 68.35% believed that social media platforms should bear the responsibility of regulating content, while 31.65% felt otherwise.

Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, have become fertile ground for the proliferation of fake news. Respondents then expressed a collective belief in the importance of social media platforms taking measures. In detail, 53.97% considered it very important, 32.78% found it somewhat important, 8.03% deemed it somewhat unimportant, and 5.22% believed it to be very unimportant.