The creation of the State of Israel in 1948 marked a turning point in the international geopolitical landscape, with the conflict in the Middle East emerging as one of the main catalysts of global anti-Semitism. Anti-Jewish hatred, already rooted in many societies, found new vigor with the growing tensions in the region, reaching significant peaks during phases of military escalation. A recent example occurred with the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, which unleashed a new wave of anti-Semitism, both online and offline.
The Israeli hostage-taking and the subsequent response by the Jewish state to eradicate Hamas also had an effect on polarizing the debate. Social media has seen a proliferation of content celebrating violence, approving of Hamas’s actions, and expressing schadenfreude (German for “joy over another’s misfortune”) toward Israeli victims.
The phenomenon, amplified by the viral dynamics of digital platforms, has demonstrated the ability of anti-Jewish hatred to adapt and change shape, exploiting the technological and social context to spread.
The war between Israel and Hamas has highlighted how antisemitism manifests itself differently depending on the geographical context. In Western countries such as the United Kingdom, France and Spain, explicit support and celebrations for Hamas’ violence have become prevalent, fuelling a climate of polarisation and tension. In contrast, in Central and Eastern European countries, the phenomenon has focused on conspiracy narratives and traditional stereotypes, depicting Jews as hidden manipulators of global power. Despite the initial predominance of messages glorifying violence, in the days that followed there was a return to more classic forms of antisemitism, such as the portrayal of Israel as a terrorist or Nazi state. This pattern demonstrates how antisemitism not only persists, but is constantly renewing itself, adapting to circumstances and exploiting cultural and technological changes to perpetuate itself.
Italy has also seen an increase in cases of hate speech. According to data presented by General Angelosanto, National Coordinator for the Fight against Anti-Semitism, incidents of discrimination against Jews have increased by 400% since October 7, 2023. The reports, based on reports from OSCAD (Observatory for Security Against Discriminatory Acts) and CDEC (Center for Contemporary Jewish Documentation), show an increase from 98 to 406 incidents in just a few months (57 incidents of hate crimes; 200 incidents of hate speech). Oscad has documented a total of 235 incidents classified as anti-Semitic for 2023, which have led to 51 complaints and 2 arrests. The monthly average, which previously stood at around 20 cases, has now risen to 90. These data are accompanied by disturbing surveys: a fifth of the Italian population expresses anti-Semitic sentiments, 16% tends to downplay the Holocaust and 14% denies the Holocaust completely. Overall, 30% of Italians downplay the tragedy of the Holocaust, a worrying sign of a cultural crisis that reflects the lack of historical awareness and civic education.
The web and digital platforms have become the main terrain for the propagation of anti-Semitism. The global and immediate nature of the Internet allows hatred to spread rapidly, amplifying its impact. Online hate speech is characterized by three main characteristics: temporal persistence, which ensures content has a long life and potential visibility; itinerancy, which allows hate messages to reappear on other platforms even after they have been removed; and anonymity, which fuels the perception of impunity and encourages aggressive behavior that would be unlikely to occur in real life. These factors greatly complicate the monitoring and countering of anti-Semitic content, making coordinated intervention at the international level essential.
The European Union, aware of the seriousness of the phenomenon, adopted a Code of Conduct to counter online hate speech in 2016, involving major technology companies. But operational and legal challenges, especially when platforms’ servers are located in countries like the United States, hinder the application of regulations, highlighting the need for stronger collaboration between governments, technology companies and civil society. The involvement of digital platforms is crucial, but they often find themselves balancing economic interests with the responsibility to block harmful content, with often disappointing results.
Another significant challenge is represented by artificial intelligence, which on the one hand offers advanced tools for the detection and removal of hateful content, but on the other hand is exploited by anti-Semitic groups to create false and manipulative content on a large scale. Technologies such as Deepfakes allow for the falsifying of images, audio and video, creating a distorted reality that becomes difficult for the average user to distinguish. These tools, used to spread conspiracy theories and distort historical events such as the Holocaust, represent a threat not only to collective memory, but also to social cohesion. The ability of AI to generate persuasive and highly viral content increases the risk of amplifying disinformation and hate, requiring more stringent regulations and public awareness.
Platforms like Telegram, Twitter and Facebook are at the center of the debate
Telegram, with its lax moderation and end-to-end encryption, has become a safe haven for extremist groups. Twitter, now X, saw a 70% increase in anti-Semitic comments after October 7, compounded by governance that appears to favor free speech over moderation. A recent report from The Center for Countering Digital Hate found that even Community Notes have limited impact on content management. Facebook, despite its commitments, still lets 99% of hate speech through without adequate countermeasures, a situation linked to both economic choices and structural problems.
In moderating online content and despite the importance of fact-checking, studies conducted by the Luiss Data Lab highlight that its impact is often limited to communities that are already aware of the issue. To reach a wider audience, it is necessary to invest in basic education, introducing media literacy programs from school age and training educators to understand new technologies. Educating new generations means providing them with tools to understand and address complex phenomena, transforming emerging technologies from potential risks to opportunities for the dissemination of correct information. The Luiss Data Lab is also developing technological tools to analyze and verify the credibility of online content, making them available to both professionals and the general public, thus helping to strengthen the integrity of the digital ecosystem.
