MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

What is KHive? Army of Kamala Harris supporters compared to Proud Boys and MAGA mob: ‘Full of toxic online trolls’

Author Marianne Williamson's tweet about Harris' fan club has many comparing it to right-wing extremists, but is the group really 'toxic'?

A seemingly threatening tweet from a New York City-based user has led many people to compare Vice President Kamala Harris' fan club KHive to that of Proud Boys and MAGA. The tweet has since gone viral and so have mentions of KHive. While some have defended the digital army of fans, an increasing number are vocally stating their concerns about it. Is KHive really something to worry about?

The group originated with a simple goal — to help drum up grassroots support for Kamala Harris' run for president in 2020. Since then, it has changed its goal to defending and boosting Harris, who is often targeted by conservatives. However, over the last few months, it has seemingly turned more toxic and violent, which has raised some concerns. Now, people are comparing it to right-wing extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. 

RELATED ARTICLES

Trump supporters with huge Nancy Pelosi as demon flag clash with ‘Antifa and BLM' after Manhattan rally

Proud Boys claims Derek Chauvin judge Peter Cahill is 'one of them' after he uses ‘OK’ hand gesture in court

Here's a look at why people are talking about them and before that, here's the context.

Why is KHive trending?

Twitter user Chantay Berry tweeted "The following 'progressives' may go through some things pretty soon... Ryan Knight Briahna Gray MMA Socialist Jimmy Dore Katie Halper Cenk Ugyer Ana Kasparian Krystal Ball Marianne Williamson David Sirota Peter Daou Is there anyone I’m missing?" on March 19.

We don't know if she is a member of KHive, but she did tweet "shoutout to #KHive" and used the yellow hearts other KHive users do. It's unclear what the tweet means, but in a follow-up tweet, Berry assured " I did NOT threaten anyone on this app. I told the truth." 

Nonetheless, many have taken it as an open threat from the community and slammed Berry. Author Marianne Williamson responded by tweeting, "@KamalaHarris could you please ask KHive to stand back and stand by?", in a reference to Trump's refusal to denounce white supremacy. 

This has now snowballed into a controversy, with many users calling the group toxic and violent. Some have also come to the group's defense but this isn't the first time KHive has been called toxic.

KHive's worrying past

Like most online movements, KHive grew organically without any leader. Its origins can be traced back to 2017, during an MSNBC panel led by anchor Joy Reid. The panel was discussing what to call the growing legions of Harris supporters, leading to the hashtag #khive.

Since then, the hashtag has taken on a life of its own with millions of users using it to voice their support for Harris. It is not just support though, as Vox noted, "in some instances, the #KHive aims to share counter-messaging to combat negative articles and potential misinformation."

That's where the issue really begins. While combating negative perception and misinformation is normal and routine, KHive supporters have taken it to an extreme level by often allegedly harassing those who criticize Harris. A 2020 HuffPost investigation found that "nearly a dozen people said accounts identified as part of the KHive often kicked off or instigated harassment campaigns against them for originally backing Democratic candidates other than Harris."

These harassment campaigns allegedly include targeting people over their ethnicity, religion, gender, and even history. As HuffPost found, one Twitter user was harassed over her past as a victim of domestic abuse and sexual harassment.

Many users have had their personal information published online and even had threats made against their children. Harris herself hasn't explicitly denounced the actions of KHive, which could be a part of the problem. Both Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff have publicly tweeted in support of KHive in the past. 

It's not all KHive fans that have allegedly engaged in such toxic attitudes, but an increasing number reportedly are attacking almost anyone who tweets against Harris. Others allegedly egg users into a fight with some citing Bianca Delarosa, a self-declared leader of the movement. That is what has snowballed into the present controversy.

'It’s insane'

Replying to Williamson's tweet, one user said, "I see what ya did! The khive is as toxic as maga. And now look at them spin it into you attacking BIPOC with racist rhetoric. They have no shame or decency. As a 'Bernie bro' I can never vote for @KamalaHarris because of her toxic online trolls." Another user responded, "Exactly. These KHive people are openly threatening to kill people now. It’s insane."

One user tweeted "In the 'Worst People on Twitter' Olympics, it's a tie for the gold between the MAGA mob and KHive." Another user made a MAGA comparison, tweeting, "Again. What are they going to go through? Honestly, the way you won't answer is absolutely Trumpian. The KHive really is indistinguishable from MAGA when you get down to it."

Another said, "She quoted him because both the Kh*ve and MAGA are full of hateful, spiteful, dangerous people." 

Other users have rushed to defend Berry and KHive. The combative tweets are a good example of just how toxic political fandom has got, with users on both sides of the aisle engaged in shaming, name-calling, and trolling rather than constructive criticism.

There are also some toxic tweets aimed directly at Williamson. Judging by what's going on right now, maybe there is merit in the comparison.