London is a great example of how social media and AI create an alternative reality.

Social media depicts London as overran by machete gangs, “in a state of collapse”, or even subject to Islamic law.

Posts on X about London mentioning crime have doubled their likes in 2025 compared to 2024.
Quadrupled compared to 2023.

Many of such posts mention migrants and Islam.

It pays off!

X introduced a revenue-share program for creators in 2023.

The more views and likes your posts get, the more money you make.

Needless to say, outraged posts about crime and migration are very popular, and profitable.

To the point where 61% of Britons now think London is unsafe compared to just 39% in 2014. The figure raises to 85% among right-leaning voters.

But the data tells a complete different story!

In 2025, London had 1.1 homicides per 100’000 people. The lowest since comparable records began.
New York has almost three times as many homicides with a similar population.
Paris 1.3, Berlin 3.2. Miami six times London.

In fact, if you asked London residents (not Britons in general), only about 30% claim London is unsafe. And an overwhelming 81% say their local area is safe.

As in, “I’m actually safe, but social media says I’m not”.

Unfortunately this is by design.

Social media, and now AI, have an agenda.

It’s our duty to use them responsibly, conscious of the bias and risks.

Maybe just go out for a walk in your local area, a much safer place than social media :)

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Source: Economist