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SWC’s 2022 Digital Hate Report Exposes Widespread Russian Disinformation

Grades threats from social media and gaming platforms – “On April 28th, the Simon Wiesenthal Center released its 2022 annual Digital Terrorism and Hate Report at a press conference at New York City Hall hosted by New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and seven other influential Council leaders who represent the Big Apple’s diverse ethnic communities—each of whom expressed the need for unity in the struggle against the rising tide of hate. New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams remarked “Across the country and in our city, communities have sadly witnessed and experienced the alarming uptick in hate crimes and violence.” The Council Speaker continued “when hate content is disseminated and allowed to spread in mainstream online platforms, it irresponsibly allows for hate to grow and turn into potential violent action. The release of the 27th annual Digital Terrorism Report demonstrates that hate spreads online in social media and gaming platforms, which often reaches and influences our young people. We must continue to root out hate in all of its forms to make our communities safer. I thank Rabbi Cooper and the Simon Wiesenthal Center for their work to shine a light on digital hate, and I look forward to continued partnerships with our diverse communities to support holistic safety solutions….The report card grades powerful platforms on how well they degrade the marketing capability of bigots as well as challenges platforms that willfully facilitate anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, stereotyping, and bullying. Rick Eaton, SWC’s Director of Research and author of the 2022 report, noted that the New York City Subway shooter posted dozens of hate filled videos accruing over 180,000 views across social media. Eaton remarked that “the 2022 report highlights the pervasiveness of extremist content circulating on both mainstream and alternative platforms, yet the purveyors of hate are allowed a forum to post, incite, and recruit with impunity.” The annual report provides over 750 current examples from the past year of what is transpiring on these platforms reinforcing the seriousness of this issue and the need for public officials and community leaders to call such companies to task…”

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