A Group of Jewish Leaders Criticizes Elon Musk and Twitter for Enabling Antisemitic Discourse

On September 26, 2023, a group of 100 Jewish leaders, which included prominent rabbis and academics, released a public letter condemning X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, and its owner, Elon Musk, for allegedly facilitating a “new stage of antisemitic discourse.” The group’s concerns arose following Musk’s acquisition of the platform in October 2022.

Musk’s stewardship of X attracted significant criticism for his decision to permit previously banned users, including figures like Andrew Tate, Kanye West, and notorious neo-Nazi individuals, back onto the platform. Moreover, he was accused of reducing content moderation on the site, and he even contemplated removing the site’s “block” feature in an effort to promote what he referred to as “free speech.”

Additionally, Musk shared posts that the group labeled as antisemitic, and he was noted to have liked or promoted other similar comments. He further exacerbated tensions by threatening to sue the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating antisemitism and extremism. Musk blamed the ADL for the decline in ad sales on the platform, viewing their criticism of hate speech as a reflection of Jewish power.

The group’s public letter highlighted their deep concern about the rapid spread of antisemitic discourse on one of the largest social media networks in the United States, stating that this dangerous phenomenon was facilitated by Elon Musk. They lamented how fringe elements had moved into the mainstream, conspiracies that endangered Jewish communities were propagated, neo-Nazis and antisemites were reinstated, and content moderation that had once curbed Holocaust denial and hate speech was severely compromised.

The letter also pointed out instances of Musk engaging in antisemitic conspiracy theories, which, they claimed, led to a doubling of antisemitic discourse on X. Researchers from Montclair State University observed an immediate increase in vulgar and hostile rhetoric against individuals based on their race, religion, ethnicity, and sexual orientation in the 12 hours following Musk’s takeover in 2022.

Data from the Center for Countering Digital Hate revealed that slurs against Black people tripled the 2022 average, and slurs against LGBTQ+ community members increased by 58% after Musk’s acquisition. In short, the platform had transformed into a breeding ground for antisemitism, posing a substantial threat to Jews and other minority communities. The group warned that unless changes were implemented, hate speech and radicalization could be the precursors to violence.

The letter featured several calls to action, including urging organizations to sever their ties with Musk’s various companies, such as Tesla and SpaceX. They also implored major advertisers to cease advertising on X, and called on Google and Apple to remove the app from their app stores.

The group argued that Elon Musk had shown a refusal to back down from the dangers he posed to Jews and other marginalized communities. They believed that external pressure, such as financial consequences, was the most effective way to address the situation and prevent the further spread of extremism and antisemitism.

CBS News reached out to X for comment but received an automatic message stating, “Busy now, please check back later.” Musk had previously posted that media inquiries would receive such messages in an “infinite loop” of non-answers.

In summary, this development signifies a contentious moment in the ongoing debate surrounding free speech, content moderation, and the responsibility of social media platforms in addressing hate speech and extremism. The letter from the Jewish leaders underscores the urgency of addressing the concerns they have raised.