Anti-Semitism on Twitter reportedly doubled since Musk acquired social media giant
Posts with anti-Semitic content have more than doubled on Twitter since business magnate Elon Musk acquired the social media giant, according to the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue and the CASM Technology firm.
Analysts reported that the average weekly frequency of anti-Semitic tweets increased by 106% after Musk’s takeover, compared to the previous period.
The dramatic increase of Twitter's anti-Jewish content is likely connected to Musk’s ideological outlook, defining himself as a “free-speech absolutist.” This view has affected Twitter’s policy on published content, and reversed previous bans on the accounts of public figures, such as former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Anti-Semitism is by no means a new phenomenon on Twitter.
While Trump was previously accused of violating Twitter’s policy against incitement, Twitter never banned Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, despite his systematic and explicitly anti-Semitic tweets that demonized Jews and called for the Jewish state’s destruction.
In July 2020, former Israeli Knesset Member Michal Cotler-Wunsh blasted Twitter for its double standards and for ignoring the Iranian leader calling for genocide against Jews.
“Wow. Twitter just admitted that tweets calling for genocide against Jews by Iranian leaders DON’T violate its policy!” said Cotler-Wunsh. “This is a double standard. This is antisemitism.”
Anti-Semitism on Twitter follows common conspiracy themes that collectively accuse Jews of controlling the world’s media, politics and finances.
Anti-Jewish conspiracy theorists falsely claim that Ukraine is under “Zionist control” because Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy happens to be of Jewish descent. More traditional conspiracies blame Jews for the death of Jesus, while more contemporary anti-Semites express support of disgraced musician Kanye West’s explicitly anti-Semitic remarks.
Anti-Semitic content on social media typically increases during periods of armed conflict between Israel and terror groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
