In the early morning of July 24, 2024, Anita Rose, a 57-year-old mother of six and grandmother of 13, left her home around 05:00 to walk her springer spaniel Bruce in the quiet Suffolk village of Brantham.
At approximately 06:25, a cyclist discovered her unconscious, wearing only her bra, leggings, and trainers, with her dog's lead wrapped around her leg and severe head and facial injuries.
Despite the best efforts of paramedics and doctors at Addenbrooke's Hospital, she passed away four days later on July 28, triggering a large-scale murder investigation.
The rapid spread of misinformation
A few days later, on Friday, 02 August, as police conducted their investigation and Anita's family tried to come to terms with her murder, Update NEWS, a verified X account with nearly 610,000 followers, published a post that falsely claimed that Anita was followed, robbed and murdered by two Somali immigrants.
The post spread like wildfire, accumulating over 1.2 million views, 35,000 reactions, 11,000 shares and 1,200 comments – many of which could only be classified as far-right hate speech aimed primarily at Muslims and Africans.
The post was the latest example of far-right "newsjacking" – an intentionally fabricated claim about a real crime, designed with the sole purpose of inflaming anti-immigration rhetoric and swaying public opinion, and published by a far-reaching "verified" account of which the owner is unknown.
Within hours, despite the best efforts of a handful of users who questioned the legitimacy of the claims, Anita had become a poster for the online far right. Presumably, unbenknownst to her family and the village of Brantham.
"These Islamists have declared war on the West. When are we going to wake up to the clear and present danger," said one commenter.
"Again! Africans.....When are countries going to realise they can't be trusted to live among people in a civilized country? All they know is murder, theft, rape, kidnapping," said another.
Some used it as justification for anti-immigration protests in the UK and a call to arms to "stop the boats". Some to demonstrate their perceived issue with Keir Starmer's "two-tier" system.
Others used it as an opportunity to challenge and question the integrity of mainstream media that chose not to report the "facts" and cover up the "truth" behind Anita's murder.
Fake news, verified, endorsed and prioritised by Elon Musk's X
When X replaced its legacy verification system with a paid model in April 2023, the blue checkmark transformed from a mark of authenticity into a purchasable badge. For £8 per month, anyone – including those spreading hate and misinformation – could buy the appearance of legitimacy once reserved for verified public figures and trusted institutions.
The result? Accounts like Update NEWS can now masquerade as credible news sources, their false claims amplified by X's algorithm, which continues to prioritise "verified" content regardless of its accuracy or legitimacy.
The amplification effect
When verified accounts share content on X, the platform's algorithm gives it preferential treatment, pushing it into more users' feeds and "For You" pages. This algorithmic boost can transform local stories into global stories within hours, regardless of its accuracy or intent.
In the case of Anita Rose, this meant that a deliberately fabricated story about her murder reached millions of users before fact-checkers or legitimate news sources could counter the narrative.
A wider pattern
The Anita Rose case is not an isolated incident. Analysis of viral crime stories on X over the past year reveals a disturbing pattern: false claims about perpetrators' ethnicities or immigration status are regularly attached to real crimes, particularly those involving female victims.
These fabricated details often follow a similar template, designed to trigger maximum outrage and sharing among users already primed to believe the worst about immigrant and minority communities.
The bottom line
Suffolk Police have charged Roy Barclay, a white British man, with Anita's murder. He remains in custody until his next court appearance at Ipswich Crown Court on 31 January 2025.
Meawhile, this latest incident is just one local example of what Elon Musk's X has become. The account remains verified and the post continues to spread hate and manipulate public opinion – despite being reported by several users.
For Anita Rose's family, and countless others affected by similar incidents, these are not abstract concerns but painful realities that demand meaningful change in how social media platforms operate and are regulated. However, few will hold much hope that change is on the horizon.
