Hate politics has become normalized through commodification. A recent shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego killed three Muslims. Around the same time, anti-immigration rallies swept Britain, fueled by anti-Muslim and anti-migrant rhetoric. Hate is no longer limited to specific extremist figures; it has become part of the meme culture, politics, podcasts, influencer content and political algorithms.

The repetition of ethnic, racial, religious and nationalist hatred desensitizes audiences and instills disdain for those we consider to be “other.” Political actors have now routinely incited fear by portraying migrants, minorities, religious communities or political opponents as an existential threat to their survival. What makes this normalization more dangerous is how digital platforms make such vicious acts accessible to everyone.

In recent years, identity politics has become a slippery term, often invoked without reference to its original meaning. It once amplified the marginalized voices and addressed historical grievances. Today, extremist groups, nationalist ideologues and right-wing populists exploit it instead, manufacturing resentment to mobilize support. Rather than promoting inclusion, these actors manipulate historical victimhood, national loss or collective suffering to portray their communal identity as under threat. For instance, Hindu nationalists in India frame Muslims as historical invaders and a demographic threat, whilst far-right parties across Europe are depicting migrants as a national security threat. The central issue is not remembering history, but selectively appropriating it — elevating certain losses as collective injustice while branding other groups as existential threats.

Artificial intelligence has further accelerated the political weaponization of identity. Digital algorithms designed to maximize engagement often promote content that provokes fear, panic, anger and strong emotional responses. As a result, political actors no longer rely on traditional media or speeches to build political support; they increasingly use AI to personalize, automate and widely circulate the politics of hate.

Such tactics are already visible in mainstream politics. US President Donald Trump recently shared an AI-generated video depicting House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries with a fake mustache and sombrero that was strongly condemned by Jeffries and civil rights groups as “racist”. This shows how AI content built on ethnic stereotypes can deepen identity-based divisions and amplify political polarization.

This trajectory shows how identity politics has evolved from seeking recognition for marginalized voices into a tool fueled by AI-driven algorithms — one that rewards resentment and encourages polarization.

In Britain, hate towards migrants and asylum seekers was amplified by a false social media claim. The post alleged that the perpetrator of the Merseyside dance class attack, which killed three young girls, was an asylum seeker. This information spread like wildfire among the locals — generating xenophobic narratives and reinforcing people’s fear about migrants. This false framing highlights a broader pattern: Migrants are scapegoated so that those in power can escape accountability.

These identities are then normalized via public spectacles, hate speeches, online propaganda, rallies and sensationalist news coverage. Right-wing ideologies manipulate this propaganda to stage the theatrics of an impending “enemy takeover.” That framing is then used to legitimize hate crimes and violence as an instinctive reaction to defend their communal identity. In this respect, hatred is monopolized to create an “us” vs “them” identity politics, in which the mere presence of others is framed as a threat.

The killing of 13 Muslims across eight states of India by Hindu extremists between January and April 2026 symbolizes this same intensifying hate environment — part of a broader pattern of intimidation, communal violence and discrimination against Muslims in India. Similarly, Australian authorities have banned the neo-Nazi – National Socialist Network under the new hate-crime legislation due to growing concerns about racial supremacist activities. The group promoted hatred towards Jewish, Asian, Muslim and indigenous communities. These developments show how nationalistic politics blend xenophobic and Islamophobic elements to frame multiculturalism and migrations as threats to national sovereignty.

These incidents are not occurring in isolation. Rather, they are part of a larger political and cultural environment in which identity-based hatred has become normalized through digital ecosystems and the widespread circulation of misinformation. As a result, the commodification of hate has changed the course of global politics towards more hostile, identity-based political and economic activity.

Today, ethnic anxieties, racial fears, civilizational narratives, and religious grievances are packaged as viral content specifically designed to engage large audiences. This content generates capital, increases influence and builds loyal followings. Algorithms are designed to reward emotionally intensive content; viral posts generate more likes, shares, comments and outrages – the hate becomes part of the attention-generating economy. To remain relevant in the digital world, political leaders use identity-centric tactics to mobilize followers and maximize political influence.

For example, influencers like Nick Fuentes are being investigated for how they are financially benefiting from spreading online extremism and hate-based identity narratives. A deep dive into Fuentes revealed that he profited about $900,000 through livestreams promoting racism, misogynistic narratives and anti-semitism. His business model showcases how violent rhetoric generates views, money, donations and public attention.

Additionally, AI-generated content has been utilized to create fabricated videos that target certain minority communities. These videos exploit locals’ anxieties about migration, nationalism and job losses, transforming hate into monetizable content. Deep-fakes, manipulated narratives and sensationalized graphics are mass-produced at record speed and have nearly become indistinguishable from human-made content. People share them rapidly, often before any fact-checking occurs. This has severe consequences for the communities targeted, including accelerated growth in hate crimes, vandalism, online harassment and threats.

The commodification of hate is therefore a significant moral crisis, one that reflects the deep-rooted relationship between capitalism, identity politics and social media algorithms. Unless the financial incentives driving this hatred are curbed, extremism will continue to spread — and innocent people will continue to pay the price.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.

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