“Whataboutery” in the online anti-immigrant conversation

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Whataboutery is being employed to shift public attention within the online media landscape in South Africa.

Whataboutery is being utilised to divert public attention in the South African online media sphere. On X , the tactic is being used to either justify anti-immigrant sentiments and xenophobia or to question why supporters of the ‘Put South Africa First’ narrative seem to focus only on African immigrants.

These disinformers have also drawn on the concept of whataboutery to not only spread falsehoods and divide public opinion but to justify support for the anti-immigrant narrative in South Africa. has long been in existence. Employers of this tactic often avoid accountability by responding to an accusation by claiming that an offence committed by another is similar or worse, exonerating them in some way from liability for wrongdoing.

These proponents are also known for posting exaggerated statistics about the number of immigrants in South Africa as well as crimes they have allegedly committed. Posts ruled as disinformation bycertain individuals as “illegal” immigrants from Zimbabwe without proof, as well as one claiming that illegal immigrants were responsible for “many‘Patriotism’ is how some supporters of the anti-immigrant narrative substantiate their calls for immigrants to leave South Africa, not xenophobia.

Those using whataboutery in this manner question why anti-immigrant groups such as Operation Dudula target African immigrants, while their European counterparts remain untouched.

 

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