The internet became a battleground, with some South Africans unleashing xenophobic comments against Nigerians.
In the aftermath of Nigeria’s victory over South Africa at the 2024 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), the reaction went beyond typical sports rivalry.
Trolls and bots play a big part in this. Trolls are people who post inflammatory or off-topic messages in online communities, to upset others or distract from meaningful conversation. Bots are automated accounts that can spread messages quickly and widely. Together, they can make xenophobic messages seem more popular and accepted than they really are.
