Montclair study: Calls for boycotts on Twitter and human rights activism increased as World Cup neared

It didn't take long after Qatar was awarded this year's World Cup in 2010 for controversy to follow - but as the event neared, calls for boycotts and human rights activism spiked on Twitter, according to a study conducted by Montclair State University.

Bob Doda

Nov 21, 2022, 2:45 PM

Updated 687 days ago

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Montclair study: Calls for boycotts on Twitter and human rights activism increased as World Cup neared
It didn't take long after Qatar was awarded this year's World Cup in 2010 for controversy to follow - but as the event neared, calls for boycotts and human rights activism spiked on Twitter, according to a study conducted by Montclair State University.
Since being awarded hosting rights, conservative Muslim nation Qatar has faced criticism for its treatment of low-paid migrant workers as well as its criminalization of homosexuality.
According to a study summary:
“Qatar’s systematic abuse of labor (reportedly more than 6,500 migrant workers have died while supporting infrastructure and construction for the tournament) and the country’s blatant discrimination against women and LGBTQ+ people have led to online movements to boycott the tournament, some cities to ban public viewing events and teams to activate anti-discrimination campaigns on and away from the pitch.”
The study sampled 22,000 tweets where the #boycottqatar2022 hashtag was analyzed from Oct. 15 through Nov. 14. with 18,412,437 potential impressions reaching more than 43 million people.
“The vast majority (92%) of those tweeting about the boycott demonstrated support of the boycott and human rights activism,” the study shows.
The full results can be found here.
Qatar, home to 3 million people, most of them migrant workers, has spent more than $200 billion on preparation for the World Cup. Seven new stadiums were built, including the 60,000-seat Al Bayt Stadium north of Doha.
AP Wire Services contributed to this report.