Analyzing Genetic Testing Discourse on the Web Through the Lens of Twitter, Reddit, and 4chan

Abstract

Recent progress in genomics has enabled the emergence of a flourishing market for direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing. Companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA provide affordable health, genealogy, and ancestry reports, and have already tested tens of millions of customers. Consequently, news, experiences, and views on genetic testing are increasingly shared and discussed on social media. At the same time, far-right groups have also taken an interest in genetic testing, using them to attack minorities and prove their genetic “purity.” In this article, we set to study the genetic testing discourse on a number of mainstream and fringe Web communities. We do so in two steps. First, we conduct an exploratory, large-scale analysis of the genetic testing discourse on a mainstream social network such as Twitter. We find that the genetic testing discourse is fueled by accounts that appear to be interested in digital health and technology. However, we also identify tweets with highly racist connotations. This motivates us to explore the connection between genetic testing and racism on platforms with a reputation for toxicity, namely, Reddit and 4chan, where we find that discussions around genetic testing often include highly toxic language expressed through hateful and racist comments. In particular, on 4chan’s politically incorrect board (/pol/), content from genetic testing conversations involves several alt-right personalities and openly anti-semitic rhetoric, often conveyed through memes.