Equality Labs’ 2025 report Manufactured Hate: The Muslim Invasion Conspiracy examines the rise of Islamophobic narratives online across the United States during 2025, focusing in particular on the “Muslim invasion” conspiracy theory. The study tracked how anti-Muslim content increased in volume and intensity on social media platforms, documenting not only more frequent Islamophobic posts but also a significant rise in material designed to inflame tensions and, in some cases, incite hostility against Muslim communities. The organisation used a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods in its research. Researchers employed social media intelligence tools to chart the volume, engagements, and patterns of disinformation tied to the theme of “Muslim invasion” and manually coded a dataset of more than 1,500 individual posts to understand narrative framing and tactics beyond what metrics alone reveal. This dual approach allowed the report to offer both a broad overview of online hate speech dynamics and a detailed view of how specific messages were constructed, targeted, and amplified, particularly in five identified “battleground” states. 

Outside analyses of the same data show that more than 4.7 million Islamophobic posts were identified in the U.S. during 2025, generating tens of millions of engagements across major platforms. These posts often included themes such as the “Muslim invasion” theory, claims about the imposition of Sharia law, calls to investigate Muslim organisations and leaders, and demands for the deportation of Muslim individuals, all of which ranked among the most prevalent narratives in the sample. The “Muslim invasion” conspiracy theory itself is a far-right narrative that alleges rising Muslim populations and immigration are part of a deliberate plot to undermine cultural values or national identity. 

The report’s findings reflect broader research showing Islamophobic narratives circulating widely online, where disinformation can overlap with other forms of prejudice and be amplified by influential accounts. By combining technical tracking with detailed content review, Manufactured Hate illustrates how online Islamophobia in 2025 was not only widespread but also strategically shaped to appeal to certain audiences, and how these narratives intersected with existing social and political tensions.