Spain sees surge in racist social media posts as more than 1,000 hateful messages appear every day
New figures show most abuse targets North Africans and Muslims, while campaigners push for stronger action online
More than 105,000 racist and xenophobic messages were detected on social media in Spain during the first three months of 2026, according to new figures released by the Spanish Observatory Against Racism and Xenophobia (Oberaxe).That works out at an average of around 1,170 hateful posts every single day, with most of the abuse aimed at people from North Africa and Muslim communities.
The observatory, which operates under the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, said social media platforms removed 55% of the reported content during the first quarter of the year. By March, that figure had risen to 62%.
TikTok recorded the highest removal rate at 86%, followed by X with 75%. Instagram removed 42% of flagged posts, Facebook 38% and YouTube 16%.
The report comes at a time when immigration continues to dominate debate across Spain. Recent discussions around migrant regularisation and immigration policy have already sparked strong reactions online and in public life.
According to Oberaxe, one of the biggest triggers for the rise in online hate speech was the drafting of the royal decree for the extraordinary regularisation of migrants. The observatory said many posts portrayed immigrants as a threat to the economy, public safety and social stability, particularly targeting Muslim and Latin American communities.
The figures also highlighted a growing problem linked to football and online abuse. Hate speech connected to sport increased by 9% compared with the previous quarter and now accounts for 16% of all the content analysed.
Oberaxe described men’s football as “a significant space for the expression of xenophobic and racist narratives on social media,” with people from North Africa being the main targets in 61% of those cases.
The Africa Cup of Nations and celebrations by supporters in Spanish cities reportedly led to a spike in hostile posts aimed at players and fans. The observatory also pointed to attacks on high-profile footballers including Lamine Yamal and Vinícius Júnior.
Nearly half of all the messages detected were described as degrading or dehumanising in nature, while 33% portrayed migrants as a danger to society. Another 11% openly called for their expulsion from Spain.
Officials also warned about what they called “a growing normalisation of verbal violence on social networks,” after finding that 94% of the detected content included insults, threats or offensive language.
The latest report arrives amid wider national conversations about migration, labour shortages and the role foreign workers play in Spain’s economy. Earlier this year, reports highlighted the growing importance of immigrant workers in regions including Andalucía, where the foreign workforce has continued to rise.
Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration Elma Saiz said authorities would continue “working intensively” with digital platforms to improve early detection systems and remove hateful content more quickly.
You might also be interested in: What would Spain look like with fewer immigrants? New report paints a stark picture.
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