The rise of antisemitism in the United States and other Western nations has been a focal point for discussion after Hamas slaughtered Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023. The current war in Gaza has prompted debate over Middle Eastern geopolitics but also raised concerns not only about antisemitism in public discourse but also about violence perpetrated against the Jewish people.
Much of the anti-Jewish bigotry has been displayed on college campuses and other places as pro-Hamas agitators stage protests and demonstrations calling for the destruction of Israel. Activists have harassed Jewish students and even committed violent acts against them.
But the increase in antisemitic thought in the digital realm has also raised concerns over people being radicalized and inspired to carry out more violence against Jews.
A new report from online monitoring company CyberWell reveals a concerning spike in antisemitic content across social media and online platforms after the October 7 attack. The data paints a grim picture, showing how hateful rhetoric could potentially lead to worse outcomes.
The report notes that in the 11 months prior to October 7, 2023, the organization flagged 135,556 social media posts as highly likely to be antisemitic. After the attack, the number jumped to 185,229, an increase of about 36.6 percent. “The most poignant spike being an 86 percent increase in online antisemitism in the three weeks following October 7,” the report noted.
The data highlights several troubling trends.
“Whereas prior to October 7 the trope of Jews either controlling the world or seeking to obtain world domination far surpassed all other narratives at 33%, post October 7, 29.2% of online antisemitic content characterized Jews as an enemy.”
The report also explains that after Hamas’ surprise attack, “calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews, increased dramatically, as did Holocaust denial and distortion.”
The report uses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism to determine whether a social media post is antisemitic.
“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
Further complicating the matter is the increased use of the term “Zionist” as a stand-in for “Jew” while propagating antisemitic narratives. “Israel-related antisemitism increased following October 7, with a spike in use of the term ‘Zionist,’ particularly in antisemitic narratives such as plans for world domination.”
Antisemites will often use the term “Zionist” to mask their bigotry against Jews, claiming that they are only against those who supposedly oppress the Palestinians.
CyberWell conducted an audit on Meta’s platforms, which include Facebook, Threads, and Instagram, to study abuse of the term. After presenting this data to the company, it updated its policy to recognize “Zionist” as a proxy for “Jew.” Video-sharing app TikTok has done the same.
The report suggests that while these policy changes are a step in the right direction, there is more that must be done to curb the spread of online antisemitism. “Whereas in 2023 the overall removal rate of reported antisemitic content was just 32.1%, an increase from 23.8% in 2022, the removal rates we tracked now are significantly higher,” the authors write.
This data could be a scary indicator of what might be coming in the future. As individuals become more exposed to hateful rhetoric against Jews, along with conspiracy theories asserting that they are the root of the problems people face, the risk of radicalization grows, along with the potential for violence. There have already been several cases in which mass shooters radicalized on digital platforms carry out mass shootings targeting Black Americans, Hispanics, and Jews.
Indeed, there have already been many attacks against Jews in America. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a record high in antisemitic incidents in the United States, according to BBC News. The group said there were over 10,000 incidents between October 7, 2023, and September 24, 2024. This represents a staggering 200 percent increase compared to the same time period in the prior year.
“Jewish Americans haven’t had a single moment of respite. Instead, we’ve faced a shocking number of antisemitic threats and experienced calls for more violence against Israelis and Jews everywhere,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt.
The ADL’s report found that these incidents included 8,015 cases of verbal or written harassment, 1,840 instances of vandalism, and 150 physical assaults. The states with the highest number of recorded cases were California, New York, New Jersey, and Florida.
More than 3,000 of these incidents occurred during pro-Hamas rallies “which featured regular explicit expressions of support for terrorist groups.”
Today’s digital landscape can serve as an effective recruiting tool for extremists who persuade individuals to carry out violence against their target group. As the war in Gaza continues, antisemitic activity online will continue to increase, which means the possibility of violence could become more pronounced.
