U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has accused major technology companies of profiting from online hatred targeting Indian, Hindu and broader South Asian communities, calling for congressional action to hold social media platforms accountable.
In a post on X, the Illinois Democrat said “anti-Indian hate is exploding on social media, and Big Tech is profiting from it,” Krishnamoorthi wrote, adding that Congress must hold the companies accountable.
In a video tagged along with the post, he cited an increase of more than 240% in anti-South Asian hate posts on X over a specified period.
A September 2026 report cited in a statement from his congressional office found that the monthly volume of such posts rose approximately 240% between January 2024 and June 2026.
The report also identified more than 542,000 hateful posts targeting South Asians on X between January 2025 and June 2026.
READ: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi leads 105 lawmakers seeking FBI probe into Hindu temple attack (October 21, 2026)
Krishnamoorthi argued that the platforms’ handling of hateful content was inadequate and that their financial incentives did not encourage meaningful action.
He called for federal measures to ensure technology companies face consequences for failing to address the problem.
His remarks follow an alleged attempted shooting at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Hindu Temple in Aurora, Illinois, on Oct. 11. Krishnamoorthi and his family were worshipping at the temple when the incident occurred.
According to prosecutors, 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis of Palatine, Illinois, tried to shoot a man outside the temple, but his rifle jammed.
Authorities allege that Paporakis later communicated plans to return to the temple before a co-worker alerted police and was arrested that day
As an attempt to take action, on Oct. 20, Krishnamoorthi led 105 members of Congress in urging FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate the alleged attack as a potential federal hate crime.
The signatories included Indian American lawmakers Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Ami Bera, Suhas Subramanyam and Shri Thanedar, as well as Sens, Dick Durbin, Tammy Duckworth, Andy Kim and Chris Van Hollen. The group also included the entire Illinois House Democratic delegation.
READ: Raja Krishnamoorthi condemns anti-Indian bigotry (October 5, 2026)
The letter asked whether investigators were examining potential racial, ethnic and religious bias in the case, whether online platforms or other individuals had facilitated the alleged plot, and what measures the FBI was taking to address credible online threats against Indian Americans, Hindu Americans, Sikhs and other South Asian communities.
The lawmakers also criticized messaging from the Trump administration that they said risked legitimizing racial and religious stereotypes.
They cited federal agency communications and called for officials to distinguish debates over immigration and public safety from collective suspicion directed at ethnic or religious communities.
The lawmakers requested a written response from the FBI by Oct. 29 to their letter that seeks information about the investigation, online threats and efforts to protect houses of worship while respecting First Amendment protections.
Krishnamoorthi’s statements call for accountability from both technology companies and federal authorities as lawmakers seek answers about the alleged Aurora plot and threats against South Asian communities.