Social Media Algorithms and Design Spread Antisemitism — Not Foreign Actors
Share
Category: Apostasy
Summary:
Bipartisan U.S. lawmakers praised X's new location feature, which reveals the country of origin for accounts spreading antisemitic content, suggesting it exposed foreign interference. However, research from the Decoding Antisemitism project indicates that online antisemitism is driven by three interconnected factors: coordinated actors (both foreign and domestic), algorithmic amplification through platform design, and domestic participatory dynamics. The focus on foreign accounts is seen as a misdiagnosis that overlooks significant domestic contributions, including political rhetoric and platform algorithms that facilitate hate speech spread. Experts argue that addressing antisemitism requires examining platform architectures, high-profile domestic actors, and the conditions online that enable radicalization, rather than solely emphasizing foreign sources.
Tags: social media, antisemitism, algorithmic amplification, domestic actors, foreign interference, platform design
Source Excerpt:
A 3D-printed miniature model of Elon Musk and the X logo are seen in this illustration taken Jan. 23, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Recently, as Jewish Insider reported, bipartisan lawmakers in Congress hailed what they saw as a major advance in fighting online antisemitism — X’s new location feature. The new tool, showing which country an account operates from — had started revealing that some accounts spreading antisemitic content in US political discussions were based overseas. For legislators on both sides, this represented a digital unmasking. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) remarked that the feature exposed “foreign interests trying to spread antisemitic poison” while “masquerading as Americans.” Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) insisted Americans “deserve to know which accounts are run from abroad, so we know the true source of these narratives.” Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) took a geopolitical view: “Beijing, Moscow and Tehran know they cannot defeat us economically or militarily, so they exploit controversial issues, like Israel and antisemitism, and try to divide.” Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley declared the feature “a huge win for transparency and American security.” The stor...
Original Article: Read the full story →
Source: Algemeiner
Posted on 12-04-2025 12:33