Avi Benlolo: Hold social media platforms accountable for anti-Semitism

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Post-Holocaust anti-Semitism was primarily disseminated by hate groups utilizing mediums we now deem somewhat archaic, like flyers and graffiti. In some circumstances, as in the case of Germany’s Ernst Zundel, they were able to publish pamphlets, utilize phone answering machines and organize gatherings on some far-away farms.

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The one-to-one direct recruitment into hate groups during those years now seems equally archaic. It took a considerable amount of effort to inspire, cultivate and introduce a new recruit to a group. For this reason, hate groups — particularly neo-Nazis — were relatively small in number following the Holocaust.

But with today’s postmodern anti-Semitism, inspiration, cultivation and recruitment happens en masse thanks to the spectacular growth of the internet and its social networking sites. In the past two decades, and particularly in the past few years, the world wide web has brought together more people than Hitler himself might have imagined, to promote and facilitate false anti-Semitic narratives that are inspiring dangerous violence.

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False anti-Semitic narratives are inspiring dangerous violence

The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) released a report this week that charged that social media companies are not acting against anti-Semitism. Even while there has been a dramatic shift in operating guidelines for most social media firms — while under pressure from Jewish communities around the world — CCDH reported a whopping 84 per cent of documented anti-Semitic content was not acted upon. “Tech companies are consciously giving a free pass to anti-Jewish hatred and the increasing threat to the Jewish community,” said the not-for-profit NGO.

Its recommended solutions include having platforms hire and train more moderators to remove hate, and holding these platforms accountable if they fail to remove such comments.

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Since 2014, I have argued in these pages and as part of a parliamentary committee that to combat online hate we must hold social media companies accountable. The only way social media operators will become accountable is if they are penalized through fines for non-action in the removal of hateful content. The fact that 84 per cent of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories about 9/11, and outrageous claims that Jewish people are responsible for COVID-19 and control world affairs, are left on social media should outrage civil society.

Ironically, our biggest and most important front against anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred is the internet. For this reason, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative has begun conversation with experts in artificial Intelligence and internet marketing to form a global task force on internet hate. We need to capture the hearts and minds of Silicon Valley to build algorithms and foster creative approaches to striking a blow at hate-mongers.

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According to the CCDH, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter allow the usage of hashtags for anti-Semitic content such as #rothschild, #fakejews and #killthejews — all of which have gained over 3.3 million impressions. One is too many. Whereas once a neo-Nazi flyer would get the attention of mostly nobody, today’s hate is entering into millions of homes via the internet, infecting children and young adults and thereby creating a new generation of haters.

Germany has recognized this problem and the general growth of anti-Semitism, announcing this week an investment of more than $40 million into researching and finding solutions to the problem. But frankly, we are running out of time.

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Every day, there are dozens of reported anti-Semitic incidents around the world. Just this week, England’s Tottenham Hotspurs football (soccer) team was “appalled” by radio show hosts who failed to challenge an anti-Semitic comment levelled at the club’s Jewish chairman by a caller. In France and Germany, COVID-19 protests have given way to rising extremism and by extension, increased anti-Semitism. And just the other day, a Democratic politician in Ohio who lost a primary race to a rival backed by Jewish party members claimed she “didn’t lose this race” but “evil money manipulated and maligned this election.”

Frankly, we are running out of time

More troubling about postmodern anti-Semitism is not merely the online regurgitation of old anti-Semitic canards, but the systematic propaganda campaign to dehumanize Jews as a means of attacking Israel. This justification of anti-Semitism is playing out online and in the media as the public is continuously fed falsehoods. Outrageous false narratives accuse the Jewish people of genocide and apartheid. The distinction between fact and fiction is blurred online as social media algorithms become echo chambers.

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These lies and distortions are fast polarizing people into extreme positions, heightening levels of anxiety, animosity, fear and hatred. Whereas Adolf Hitler and his henchmen were able to mobilize millions into evil action through propaganda, the internet can mobilize billions more.

Ahmed Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion, warned in a report to the UN General Assembly in 2019 that anti-Semitism is “toxic to democracy.” It poses “a threat to all societies if left unaddressed,” he said. The time for action is now.

Avi Abraham Benlolo is the founder and chairman of The Abraham Global Peace Initiative.