Words and hashtags used to symbolize Asian hate have increased in the past year amid the COVID-19 crisis, data from social intelligence firm Zignal Labs shows.
The big picture: Shortly after last week's deadly murders of eight people, including six Asian women, the hashtag #StopAsianHate overtook every anti-Asian term measured by Zignal, proving the power of positive social movements online.
- #StopAAPIHate marginally increased following the attacks.
Data from Pew Research Center shows that social movements for political causes varies by party, race and age, but are overall becoming more common in the U.S.
- Research has shown that usage of anti-Asian terms spiked after former President Trump and other conservatives began using them publicly at the onset of the virus.
- A recent increase in reports of violent attacks against Asian Americans has spurred a new wave of activism around the issue.
What to watch: The data shows that use of the #StopAsianHate hashtag has slowed down significantly since last week. It will be important to watch how the movement evolves amid the COVID-19 recovery.