The internet was spewing racist and sexist attacks long before Vice President Kamala Harris began her presidential campaign this month, including when Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton sought the job.
Since the last major election, however, it has become even more noxious — and more central to American politics.
In 2008, Mr. Obama faced an ecosystem in which Facebook had millions of users, not billions, and the iPhone was just a year old.
In 2020, when Ms. Harris was Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s running mate, it was far harder to use artificial intelligence to produce the fake pornographic renderings and misleading videos that now claim to portray her.
In the week since Ms. Harris — who is Black, of Indian descent and a woman — became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, false narratives and conspiracy theories about her have ricocheted across the digital landscape.
Persons:
Kamala Harris, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Obama, Harris, Joseph R, Biden, Harris —, —
Organizations:
Facebook, Democratic