[3][4] Quint Czymmek, a German social scientist, cited in his paper a 2019 study that found that young European Jews (ages 16–34) are more prone to encountering antisemitic harassment or violence compared to their older counterparts.
Additionally, these younger individuals identified the internet and social media as the primary domains where antisemitism poses the most significant challenge in the present day.
According to Schmalenberger an example of this is observed on Facebook, where the German far-right party, Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), has deliberately avoided referencing the Holocaust in its posts about the Second World War.
[6] Concerns have arisen among critics regarding the prevalence of antisemitism on social media, posing a significant issue for both the Jewish community and wider public discourse.
[7][8] A study conducted by the Ruderman Family Foundation and the Network Contagion Research Institute, released in July 2023, revealed Israel as the most attacked country on social media.
[10] Michael Bossetta, a researcher at Sweden's Lund University, points out that antisemitic content represents a tiny fraction of the traffic on social media.
[12] TikTok, according to researchers and ratings, is very popular among young people, in addition to being widely used for news purposes, political platforms and following significant personages.
Due to its widespread usage, "TikTok has become a magnet and a hotbed for violent and extremist content," the Israeli researchers Gabriel Weimann and Natalie Masri write in their chapter.
[27] According to an article published in March 2023, antisemitism on X (formerly Twitter) remains "higher than ever" with some worried about the platform descending into a "hellscape" filled with toxic, inflammatory content and misinformation.
[29] According to findings from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, there was a 4963% increase in antisemitic comments on YouTube videos related to the conflict in the days following the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel.
YouTube recorded a total of 15,720 hateful comments against Jewish people in the week following the attack by Hamas, as revealed by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
They also propagated conspiracy theories, ranging from the unfounded notion that Jewish individuals control the media, political structures, and financial institutions to the claim that the Hamas attack was a 'false flag' orchestrated by Israel.
[31] In a 2021 report, researchers collected 714 antisemitic posts between May and June which included Holocaust denial, and conspiracy theories with false claims about Jews "controlling" governments and banks, or orchestrating world events.
[32] A report from Hope not Hate highlighted the prevalence of antisemitism within Telegram which has emerged as a primary refuge for individuals expelled from other social networks due to their extremist views.
In 2021, critics argued that Telegram's lax moderation policies have allowed numerous channels dedicated to antisemitic conspiracies and overtly violent content to thrive.
[33] In addition to these concerning findings, Hope not Hate discovered that a minimum of 120 Telegram groups and channels have shared the racist and antisemitic manifesto authored by the perpetrator of the Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand in March 2019, resulting in the deaths of 51 individuals.
The seemingly cunning Jewish figure, who is being welcomed inside the metaphorical walls of society, reinforces antisemitic tropes of Jews as power-hungry and seeking world domination, deceitful liars, spreaders of disease, and scapegoats for others' problems.
Telegram also enabled the circulation of additional COVID-19 antisemitism with user messages suggesting "Israel has unleashed a bio weapon" intended to teach China that "jealous, vindictive Jews" control the country's dynasty.
[34] In extensive interviews conducted by Czymmek, three young German Jewish adults disclosed that experiencing an antisemitic social media post left them with a profound sense of "loss of control," "unawareness of what would happen next," and despair over "the silence of other users."
"[35] In response to years of increased antisemitic incidents and a significant spike in reports since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, several universities have decided to take action.
[38] The parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, announced a new policy to combat antisemitism by banning posts that misuse the term "Zionists" as a cover for hate speech directed towards Jews on July 9, 2024.
"[39] Previously, on Meta social media platforms, the word "Zionist" was only allowed to be used in specific contexts, including when it was used to refer to Jews or Israelis.
[42][failed verification][43][44][45][46] According to recent findings from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, there was a 4963% increase in antisemitic comments on YouTube videos related to the conflict in the days following the 2023 Hamas-led attack.