US legislators launch new Interparliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism to combat online hate
An international effort to generate legislative and political pressure on social media companies to raise awareness and protect platforms from individuals or groups who engage in hate speech, propaganda and disinformation online has been launched by the US Congress.
The Interparliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism was announced on 29th September by a bipartisan group of US legislators. The task force will work across party lines and in cooperation with fellow lawmakers from Australia, Canada, Israel and the UK.
The concept for the group was first introduced at the World Holocaust Forum in Jerusalem earlier this year.
Rep. Chris Smith, a co-founder of the Task Force, has noted that it is the responsibility of social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, to maintain safeguards and ensure that users do not abuse communication tools to spread messages of hate. The Task Force has attributed a lack of regulation to the rise in antisemitic conspiracy theories and tropes online and via networking apps.
Other parliamentarians active in the Task Force include the Canadian Liberal MP Anthony Housefather, Knesset Member Michal Cotler-Wunsh of Israel’s Blue and White Party and British Labour MP Alex Sobel.
Ms Cutler-Wunsh expressed disappointment in a recent Knesset committee hearing, organised to address social media companies’ policies on antisemitic content, when a representative from the video-sharing platform TikTok failed to attend. She argued a lack of accountability was responsible for the “virulently antisemitic content” that is accessible to millions of children and young people worldwide.
Campaign Against Antisemitism continues its robust engagement with social media companies over the content that they enable to be published, and we continue to make representations to the Government in this connection.
Campaign Against Antisemitism has recently expanded our coverage of antisemitism worldwide. Please contact us if you would like to share feedback or volunteer to assist with this project.
