ADL and Reddit Help Moderators Confronted with Antisemitism
New York, NY, August 1, 2024 ... A new report released today by the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) Center for Technology and Society (CTS) reveals that a group of moderators of Jewish communities on Reddit faced with increased antisemitism on the social media platform reached out to ADL for support. Based on research into these moderators’ experiences, ADL engaged with Reddit, which led the platform to take several important steps to stem instances of antisemitism on the site and to support moderators.
These steps include:
- Provide refresher training to safety staff on Reddit policies around hate, including antisemitism.
- Include identity communities, including Jewish community representatives, in their Partner Communities Program.
- Start Moderator Code of Conduct proceedings on interference with some Jewish communities.
- Review safety settings and supported moderators in enabling tools on their subreddits, such as the Modmail Harassment Filter and the Harassment Filter.
“The way ADL worked with Reddit to address the antisemitism described by moderators is a great example of a tech company working with civil society to improve their platform and make it a safer place for its users,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “We are grateful to Reddit’s leadership who took the concerns of their community seriously and acted quickly to make sure the hate and harassment experienced by Jewish users would not be accepted or normalized.”
The alarming wave of hate that Reddit moderators have faced since Oct. 7 is part of an increase observed online and offline hate globally. In the U.S., the number of antisemitic incidents leapt by 140 percent in 2023 and 41 percent of Jewish adults reported changing their behavior online in the past year to avoid being recognized as Jewish.
In a subreddit where people shared about their trauma dealing with antisemitism, for example, bad actors purposefully looked for these opportunities to harass users and spread hate. Other moderators explained that they deal with slurs, footage of Oct. 7, hate speech, and blood libel, among other hateful rhetoric and acts.
This has taken a toll on the moderators themselves, not only from having to manage the perpetual hate, but also from having to deal with harassment directed at themselves. So much of their time is spent keeping the space safe that they cannot participate in the communities they love.
Moderators also face steady personal and targeted harassment from users. This antisemitism has had a chilling effect on speech for the moderators and those on their subreddits, and the response to antisemitism reports on the site has stopped at least one moderator from reporting instances of antisemitism.
“Jewish subreddits provide users with a space to talk about their unique experiences, which has taken on an increased importance since Oct. 7. The moderators we spoke with, however, describe a situation where even these safe spaces have become inundated with an antisemitism they constantly have to keep in check,” said Daniel Kelley, Director of Strategy and Operations and Interim Head, ADL Center for Technology and Society. “The challenge for Reddit and all platforms is to continue to address antisemitism and keep online spaces safe for Jewish users. It’s not enough to only remove violative content- platforms must find ongoing ways to support targeted users on their platform directly and continually educate their staff on what that looks like. Reddit was receptive and proactive when alerted."
Methodology
ADL was contacted by six Jewish Reddit moderators looking for support handling the antisemitism on their subreddits. On March 20, 2024, we conducted a 90-minute group interview with these moderators to discuss this antisemitism and the interventions that Reddit has, or has not, taken to support them. The six moderators came from a variety of Jewish-focused subreddits who have, by their own estimate, an average of 78,000 subscribers, and receive approximately 50 posts and 1,400 comments per subreddit per day. All names of the moderators have been anonymized in our report. Minimal reference to their personal information (age, gender, etc.) or to the subreddits they moderate has been made to protect them from harassment.
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at www.adl.org.