Racist text messages targeting Black Americans prompt FBI response

Friday

Jack Aylmer Anchor/Producer

By Jack Aylmer (Anchor/Producer), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

A series of racially-charged text messages referencing slavery and targeting Black Americans have surfaced across the United States, prompting a federal response. Recipients of these messages report being informed they were “selected” to pick cotton at “the nearest plantation.”

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The texts, reportedly sent from unknown numbers, began appearing shortly after the recent presidential election. Many of those targeted include students from universities such as The Ohio State University, Clemson University, University of Southern California and Missouri State University.

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The FBI confirmed it is aware of these incidents, advising anyone who receives these texts to report them to local authorities. The Bureau also indicated that it has been in contact with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the matter. The Federal Communications Commission and wireless industry groups have acknowledged the issue and are working to address it.

While sending racially offensive messages is not itself illegal, law enforcement officials said that continued harassment or evidence of hate crimes could lead to legal repercussions.

Some of the anonymous numbers used in the messaging appear to be linked to the messaging platform TextNow, which provides users with untraceable “burner” numbers. In a statement, a TextNow spokesperson said that accounts associated with the texts were quickly shut down and pledged the company would cooperate with authorities.

The NAACP denounced the messages, calling them “deeply disturbing” and stating that they perpetuate a “legacy of evil that dates back to before the Jim Crow era.” The organization said they believe the texts were a product of President-elect Donald Trump’s rhetoric.

Tags: FBI, Federal Communications Commission, Missouri, Ohio State, Racism, U.S. Department of Justice, USC

REPORTS ARE EMERGING NATIONWIDE OF A DISTURBING SERIES OF RACIALLY CHARGED TEXT MESSAGES TARGETING BLACK AMERICANS AND REFERENCING SLAVERY.

NOW ITS PROMPTING A FEDERAL RESPONSE.

DOZENS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY SAY THEY’VE RECEIVED MESSAGES TELLING THEM THEY WERE “SELECTED” TO PICK COTTON AT “THE NEAREST PLANTATION.”

MANY OF THE RECIPIENTS SAY THE TEXTS CAME FROM UNKNOWN NUMBERS JUST HOURS AFTER THE RECENT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

THE MESSAGES APPEAR TO HAVE TARGETED STUDENTS AT SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES, INCLUDING OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, CLEMSON UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY.

THE NAACP CALLED THE INCIDENTS DEEPLY DISTURBING-

AND SAID THEY PERPETUATE A LEGACY OF EVIL THAT DATES BACK TO BEFORE THE JIM CROW ERA.

THE FBI IS AWARE OF THE INCIDENTS AND ENCOURAGES ANYONE RECEIVING SUCH MESSAGES TO REACH OUT TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES-

ADDING THAT BUREAU HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OVER THE MATTER.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SAY THAT WHILE THE ACT OF SENDING A RACIST TEXT MESSAGE IS NOT ITSELF ILLEGAL-

THIS COULD CHANGE IF PEOPLE ARE REPORTEDLY HARASSED OR A HATE CRIME IS COMMITTED.

SOME OF THE ANONYMOUS NUMBERS WHICH SENT THESE TEXTS ARE REPORTEDLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE MESSAGING PLATFORM TEXTNOW-

WHICH ALLOWS USERS TO OBTAIN UNTRACEABLE, BURNER PHONE NUMBERS.

A SPOKESPERSON FOR TEXTNOW STATED THAT ACCOUNTS TIED TO THE TEXTS WERE SHUT DOWN QUICKLY AND ASSURED THEIR COOPERATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND WIRELESS INDUSTRY GROUPS HAVE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THE SITUATION, STATING THEY ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M JACK AYLMER.