48 No. 69 JUSTICE his book explores antisemitism displayed on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok. Antisemitism, and hate speech in general, has increased its online presence in the last decade, due to the proliferation of social media and the greater use of the online domain for cybercrimes. The increase in antisemitic posts does not necessarily indicate a rise in hatred toward Jews since a single person can operate dozens of accounts and publish numerous antisemitic posts. This does not even necessarily indicate an increase in antisemitism within a specific population. Nevertheless, increased antisemitism online does pose a significant concern, as it can reach a wider range of people, normalize hatred, and incite individuals to take violent actions against Jews. Monika Hübscher and Sabine von Mering have edited a volume of fourteen chapters that outline, review, develop and discuss various aspects of online antisemitism. The book in its entirety is greater than the sum of its parts. While specific chapters are often limited, the entire collection successfully manages to describe antisemitism on social media and suggest possible solutions and measures that can be implemented to tackle the issue. I recommend this book to those who seek to better understand online antisemitism and how social media platforms often play a role in its facilitation. While I possess knowledge about antisemitism and the online domain, I am not an expert on every single online platform or case study presented. My notes and criticism should be read with this in mind. Chapter 1 is written by the book’s editors – Hübscher and von Mering. They provide a snapshot of antisemitism on social media up to 2021, and rightfully argue that hate speech can lead to radicalization. They claim that not only is technology utilized for spreading hatred, but also to create social disruption, thus lowering the prospect of eradicating online antisemitism and racism. After explaining this business model, Hübscher and von Mering address strategies, as well as their weaknesses, to counter this phenomenon. These include integrating artificial intelligence (AI) measures, human content moderation and counter-speech. They also address interesting research gaps and challenges such as how to deal with constantly changing, non-textual and/or indirect manifestations of antisemitism on TikTok. (This is addressed more thoroughly by Gabriel Weimann and Natalie Masri in Chapter 10.) They note as an introduction to the rest of the chapters, that the study of antisemitism on social media is currently limited, and that it should evolve in an interdisciplinary manner. In Chapter 2, Armin Langer introduces the phenomenon of QAnon-related antisemitic conspiracies online, such as conspiracies about the “Deep State,” Jewish influence and control, child sacrifice, and sexual abuse. Langer’s chapter is descriptive and adds illustrative examples to the book. It also attempts to explain how online contemporary conspiracies can be traced back to historical conspiracies. Some examples could have been explained in more detail. For instance, Langer’s attempt to understand the “Deep State” conspiracy through the fact that Jewish communities often lived in separate societies in Europe and elsewhere might require additional details and justifications, as Jews in secluded communities do better in observing Jewish laws and traditions. Langer does mention the constantly changing cues of antisemitism that are indicative of antisemitism, even though they are not purely or explicitly antisemitic. For instance, the mention of “family values” as reference to the values of a White Christian Family, that is often associated with the alt-right and its roots, can be traced to Nazi Germany. In Chapter 3, Sophie Schmalenberger and Monika Hübscher also tackle similar indirect and inexplicit cues. They analyze the case of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) Party, demonstrating how antisemitism can derive from non-antisemitic texts, and emphasize that in cases of such propaganda, the context is crucial. The historical context provided focuses most specifically on Germany’s defeat in World War II. The AfD party and its members do not spread content directly in reference to Jews, but rather spread victimhood on social media platforms, notably Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, claiming that the Germans were the victims of WWII, and that those T Reviewed by Lev Topor Antisemitism on Social Media By Monika Hübscher and Sabine von Mering (Routledge, 2022, 270 pp.)
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