Antisemitism online has been around since the onset of social media and remains a prominent issue today, with 67% of American Jews reporting seeing antisemitic content online and 60% seeing it more than once, according to a 2024 survey from the American Jewish Committee, “The State of Antisemitism in America.”
The issue has been growing for years and increased “exponentially” after Oct. 7, 2023, according to Andrew Goretsky, senior regional director for the Philadelphia office of the Anti-Defamation League, serving Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware.
One of the largest challenges in dealing with antisemitism online is identifying and reporting the offending content, especially for young Jews getting their first experience with the internet and social media.
Goretsky recounted an interaction with his son from a few years ago that demonstrated the problem.
“He had been in a chat room, and all a sudden he goes, ‘I’m out of here.’ And I said, ‘What happened, bud?’ And he told me that in there somebody had made a very antisemitic and racist statement,” Goretsky said. “In the end, I said, ‘Did you report it?’ And at age 11, he looked at me and he said, ‘Dad, I don’t know how.’”
Goretsky said parents need to teach their children what they’re seeing online, how to deal with it and have important conversations about these issues.
“If anybody thinks their child hasn’t experienced this online, they’re kidding themselves,” Goretsky said.
Dog Whistles and Workarounds
Over the years, antisemites and white supremacists have created online shorthand and co-opted seemingly innocuous content so they can more widely share derogatory ideas, conspiracy theories and stereotypes about Jews and other minorities.
This “dog whistle” approach makes it harder for moderators on social media platforms to spot the content and remove it.
Some examples include the specific use of 271 or 271k, which is a reference to the conspiracy theory that only 271,000 Jews were killed in the Holocaust instead of 6 million.
Another is the phrase “6 million cookies,” referencing the Jews killed in the Holocaust and the crematorium ovens used by the Nazis.
In online comment sections, people may use the phrase “every single time,” “well, well, well,” or a variation referencing the previous two such as “what do we say 3 times.” These phrases convey an antisemite’s or white supremacist’s belief that anyone they find problematic is always revealed to be Jewish, or in some cases, a different targeted minority group.
The word “juice,” or the juice box emoji is also sometimes used in place of “Jews” or “Jewish” to make antisemitic statements on social media apps while skirting content moderation.
Another large trend is “noticing,” which became a popular way for antisemites to point out a “pattern” of Jews being in a position of power and influence. A person may write that it’s “impossible not to notice” or “noticing will continue.”
It’s meant to capture the belief of Jewish control and spread the idea without making an overt reference.
“When that stuff is online, there’s a lot of individuals who haven’t interacted with or met Jewish people, and so if the only interaction they have is with an antisemitic trope or something along those lines, they believe it,” Goretsky said.
Goretsky said that when he went to college, he became friendly with a fellow student and was asked to hang out the following weekend.
Goretsky informed them that he was busy because he would be celebrating Rosh Hashanah. He said the student initially refused to believe that he was Jewish because he didn’t have devil horns.
Goretsky explained that the student had grown up in a rural town going to church where he had learned Jews wore kippahs to cover up their horns.
“When these graphics are there, and they’re not called out, and they’re not removed and they’re not reported, how many people are seeing it, in order to then perpetuate a false narrative about Jewish people?” Goretsky said.
See It, Report It
Goretsky said that social media platforms and tech companies have a responsibility to provide extra guardrails to deal with antisemitism, especially with the rise of AI. But users of social media can take action when they see antisemitic content, he said.
“Tell your students to not engage with whoever is portraying that information, to report it [to the platforms], take screenshots of it. Report it to somebody like the ADL. We’ll take that information to and make sure to include it [in reports],” he said.
Afterward, Goretsky said, parents should take the moment “as an opportunity to engage with your children about what they’re experiencing online and how to navigate it.”
He said that while he wishes companies would self-moderate their platforms better, he realizes that will only happen to a limited degree, making it important for individuals to see and report antisemitic content.
“[We must] help ourselves and teach our children how to report because half the problem is if it’s not getting reported. By reporting it, at least it brings awareness to the organization. Know how to report and report,” Goretsky said.
