Urge Social Media Platforms to Follow Better Content Moderation Practices Related to the Crisis in Israel 

People in large numbers are going on social media to help make sense of Hamas’ war on Israel. Since the October 7th  Hamas’ massacre of innocent civilians, ADL is monitoring a surge of antisemitism, anti-Muslim hate, fake news, and propaganda being spread on social media. Hate-fueled posts can translate into verbal and physical antisemitic attacks in places far removed from the battlefield.   

We recognize that much of the conversation online is in response to what is happening in real-time and it can be challenging for social media platforms to adequately respond with speed and at scale. At the same time, social media companies have the ability to exacerbate conflict, spread false information, and promote antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories through their own tools, policies, and enforcement decisions. It is crucial for platforms to invest in resources to stop bad actors who are glorifying violence, re-traumatizing victims, and inciting hatred online. 

We know there are risks in both over-moderation and under-moderation, but there are steps all social media companies can take right now to, at least, help ensure they are not fanning the flames. Join ADL in urging social media companies to take these steps in response to the global conversation around Hamas’ atrocities and their war on Israel : 

1. Dedicate resources to ensuring platforms are enforcing their own rules regarding hate speech and violence. 

2. Promote trusted, reliable news sources. 

3. Proactively moderate content likely to fuel the spread of disinformation or incite violence. 

4. Coordinate and share relevant information and trends across platforms. 

5. Add friction, such as warning labels, to help curb the spread of false content or content intended to incite violence. 

6. Ensure that neither people nor platforms profit from posting violence. 

7. Determine how exceptions to the content moderation rules will be defined.