Surge in Antisemitic Online Content and Rhetoric Sparks Concerns

Strategic Insights -

Concerns have been raised about a surge in antisemitic online content and rhetoric in the United States, with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reporting the highest number of antisemitic incidents in a single year since it began tracking them. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has written to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Mayorkas, requesting information on the apparent recent surge in antisemitic online content and rhetoric. The Congressman notes that the trend aligns with the social network's reduced moderation, as noted by the ADL and other organizations, which flag tweets in violation of Twitter's terms of service for removal.

Key Takeaways:

  • Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi requested information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the measures currently existing to monitor the prevalence of online and media hate speech based on religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and other target categories.
  • The ADL reported 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment, and vandalism against Jewish people in 2021, a 14% increase in antisemitic vandalism and a 43% increase in acts of harassment compared to 2020.
  • A recent study found a 61.3% increase in the volume of tweets referring to "Jews" or "Judaism" after Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter in October, with a decreased rate of deleted posts.
  • The surge in antisemitic content on Twitter has led to increased mainstream attention for antisemitic conspiracy theories and ideologies, as Ye West and Nick Fuentes have gained attention for their bigoted and hateful views.
  • The Department of Homeland Security's National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin acknowledged the relationship between online hate speech and physical attacks, and the growing antisemitism in the country.
  • The Congressman requested answers to four questions by December 23rd, 2022, regarding the measures at DHS to monitor the prevalence of online hate speech, the increase in such activities since October, and the connections between online antisemitism, extremism, and hate speech preceding violent crimes.

Statistics:

  • 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment, and vandalism against Jewish people in 2021 (ADL)
  • 14% increase in antisemitic vandalism in 2021 compared to 2020 (ADL)
  • 43% increase in acts of harassment in 2021 compared to 2020 (ADL)
  • 61.3% increase in the volume of tweets referring to "Jews" or "Judaism" after Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter in October (ADL study)
  • 30% of tweets deleted after Elon Musk's takeover were not removed until after the ADL flagged them (ADL study)

Sources:

  • Letter from Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi to Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas, December 9, 2022
  • Anti-Defamation League's 2021 Audit Report
  • ADL's Center on Extremism study on Twitter activity
  • New York Times article on Elon Musk's Twitter takeover
  • Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi's House website: https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/
  • Anti-Defamation League website: https://www.adl.org/