Federal and state agencies are investigating racist mass texts sent to Black people across the country after the presidential election. The messages invoked slavery and instructed recipients to “board a bus” to a “plantation” to work as slaves. The FBI, FCC, and other law enforcement departments are involved in the investigation. The texts caused distress, especially as they targeted school-aged children and college students.
The origin of the racist messages was obscured using a VPN, making it difficult to trace. Several states, including New York, Alabama, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Tennessee, reported receiving these messages. The FCC Chair, Jessica Rosenworcel, stated that the agency takes this type of targeting seriously and that the messages were unacceptable. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown condemned the messages targeting Black residents, especially children, and vowed to hold those responsible accountable.
Phone service provider TextNow confirmed that some of their accounts were used to send the racist texts and disabled those accounts for violating their terms of service. Major providers like AT&T and Verizon referred comments to the CTIA, a wireless communications trade group, stating that it was an industry-wide issue. The U.S. wireless industry has been working to block the texts and identify the platforms used by bad actors to send them. The racist messages, primarily targeting Black Americans and children, have sparked nationwide outrage and concern.
Parents, like Nicole from North Carolina, expressed concern over the impact of such messages on their children. Nicole’s high school daughter received a text instructing her to “get ready to go back to the plantation.” This incident highlighted the ongoing issue of racism in the country, with parents being advised to have tough conversations with their children. Historically Black college students were also targeted, with messages aimed at instilling fear and intimidation. The timing and focus on young Black students raised concerns about the resurgence of racist attitudes in society.
Dr. Robert Greene II, an assistant professor of history, noted that this mass messaging was intentional and aimed at Black college students to intimidate them. The use of technology to spread racist messages is a new tactic that instills fear and paranoia among recipients. Unlike previous forms of intimidation like physical violence, modern technology allows perpetrators to reach a wider audience. The ability to target individuals based on personal data purchased online adds to the sinister nature of these messages.
Cori Faklaris, an assistant professor of software and information services, highlighted the ease with which personal data can be used to infer demographic information and target specific groups. The lack of filtering for text messages in the U.S. makes it challenging to prevent such attacks, but law enforcement agencies have developed tools to trace and investigate these incidents. The recent wave of racist texts underscores the importance of addressing systemic racism and promoting inclusivity in society. Law enforcement is working to identify and hold accountable those responsible for the hateful messages that have caused widespread distress and concern nationwide.
