New York, NY, October 11, 2023 ... ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) issued the following statement concerning reports Hamas may share graphic videos of hostages on various social media platforms:
"We, like others, have heard that Hamas plans to share disturbing content—including images and videos of Israeli hostages being tortured—on various social media platforms. These actions are intended to stoke fear and exploit human beings in the name of antisemitism and hate.
We ask that people refrain from posting, sharing, or commenting on these videos and images online. This is a necessary measure to mitigate the spread of Hamas’s terror directed at Israelis and Jews all over the world. While sharing information and discussing the atrocities of this war is necessary, this content is exploitative and cruel. Though there may be some legitimate uses of such content to shed light on the atrocities, great care should be taken including graphic content warnings and use of blurred images. If you see such content without warnings or blurred images proliferating on social media, immediately report it to platforms.
We implore social media platforms to immediately take responsible action, work with peer companies, and surge resources to halt the spread of this hate-filled, barbaric and graphic violence. Though coverage of atrocities is essential for awareness, the indiscriminate dissemination of graphic violence crosses a critical ethical line. It violates platform policies and should be quickly removed.
We are all human beings. These hostages deserve the honor and dignity of our vigilance at this time."