Divide, radicalize and conquer: Algorithmic micro-targeting, “Not Like Us” propaganda and fractured resistance

While far-right radicalization narratives rightly focus on white supremacist violence, fixating solely on alienated white men obscures a key facet of digital authoritarianism: the algorithmic weaponization of marginalized groups to spread the anti-Black/xenophobic tropes targeting them. Analyzing Donald Trump’s 2024 “Haitians eating pets” conspiracy and Black influencer Anthony Harris—framed as “algorithmic prey”—reveals how platforms’ microtargeting launders white-supremacist narratives through unexpected vectors, fracturing resistance intracommunally. Tracing tactics from impersonation campaigns (#EndFathersDay) to denigrating stereotypes (e.g. SlaveTok) highlights platforms’ deliberate design (e.g. Meta’s identity-based targeting) funneling vulnerable users. Critiquing inadequate solutions (media literacy and racist/non-racist binaries), effective resistance requires platform accountability (regulating algorithms), rhetorical disarmament, and offline solidarity networks. Harris’s case reveals digital ism's blueprint: exploiting engagement algorithms to ensnare diverse actors, sabotaging resistance from within.