By Kenneth Bandler, JPost—
In the constantly expanding digital universe, purveyors of hate are exploiting the newest communications technologies to threaten Jews.
The deleterious impact of the “digitization of antisemitism” was revealed in the 2020 State of Antisemitism in America report recently issued by the American Jewish Committee (AJC).
Twenty-two percent of American Jewish adults have experienced antisemitism online or on social media in the last five years. Of this group, 62% said they had been the targets of antisemitic remarks on Facebook, 33% on Twitter, 12% on Instagram and 10% on YouTube.
The impact of hate Jews are experiencing online mirrors the experience with more traditional forms of antisemitism. While 24% say they avoid wearing, carrying or displaying things that might identify them as Jews, and 31% avoid certain places, events or situations out of concern for their safety, the AJC survey also found that 24% who are active on social media avoid posting content that may identify them as Jewish.
“We all need to send the message that antisemitism in any form is unacceptable on or offline,” Holly Huffnagle, AJC’s US director for combating antisemitism, told the Inter-parliamentary Task Force on Online Antisemitism last month.
Findings in AJC’s second annual comprehensive survey of US Jewish perceptions of and experiences with antisemitism in the United States reflect the fast-moving changes in how antisemitism is transmitted.
“Digitization of antisemitism is the farthest-reaching battleground. What happens online doesn’t stay online,” says Huffnagle, recalling that the hate-filled individuals who carried out the murderous assaults at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue and Chabad of Poway posted threatening manifestos shortly before their attacks. Continue Reading…