USA urges tech giants to tackle antisemitic content

The Biden administration is pressing major technology companies to intensify their efforts to reduce antisemitic content on their platforms. Representatives from Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, and X met with US special envoy Deborah Lipstadt to discuss strategies for monitoring and combating antisemitism. Lipstadt emphasised the need for each company to assign a policy team member to address the issue, conduct specialised training to identify antisemitism, and publicly report trends in anti-Jewish content.

TikTok supported the meeting, highlighting their ongoing efforts and commitment to learning from experts. However, Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta, and X have yet to respond to requests for comment on the matter. The US administration is also calling for enhanced training to help platform staff recognise subtle antisemitic messages and distinguish between legitimate criticism of the Israeli government and hate speech directed at Jews.

The push from the administration comes amid a global increase in antisemitism following the 7 October attack by Hamas on southern Israel and the subsequent Israeli military response in Gaza. While the tech companies have not yet committed to voluntary measures, Lipstadt remains hopeful that they will take action soon to address this pressing issue.