State Dept Hosts Big Tech Reps for 'Symposium to Combat Online Antisemitism'

Chris Menahan
InformationLiberation
May. 24, 2024

The State Department hosted an event on Thursday bringing every major tech company together along with a representative from Israel to protect one single ethnic group from criticism online.

ADL was pleased to join @StateSEAS and lead @WhiteHouse officials yesterday to discuss online antisemitism with @Meta, @Tiktok_us, @X, @Google, @YouTube and @Microsoft, and offer solutions to better address the extreme hate and harassment Jews are facing across the Internet. https://t.co/OgZsj7PEYz
— ADL (@ADL) May 24, 2024

Hate speech online is still hate speech. Honored to join a diverse group of government, NGO, and private sector leaders at the @StateSEAS Symposium to Combat Online Antisemitism. Through cross-sector collaboration, action, and transparency we can create a more inclusive world. pic.twitter.com/v28HS7vgzk
— Richard R. Verma (@DepSecStateMR) May 24, 2024

Yesterday, we participated in the Symposium to Counter Online Antisemitism, organized by the U.S. State Department with @StateSEAS, in collaboration with key White House officials.

We were pleased to hear from @Meta, @Tiktok_us, @X, @Google, @YouTube, and @Microsoft on their… pic.twitter.com/ReaHwSKl7z
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) May 24, 2024

From the State Department, "Statement from the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism on the Symposium on Collaborative Action against Online Antisemitism":

On May 23, U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt hosted a Symposium to Combat Online Antisemitism. The Symposium convened technology executives, NGOs, and government representatives to foster collaborative thinking about effective action against surging online antisemitism.

The forum was an enriching and productive exchange of ideas across the three sectors. Participating technology companies included Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, and X. Special Envoys for Combating Antisemitism from Canada and Israel took part in the symposium, along with the Deputy Chief of Mission for Germany. Six NGOs from around the world, including the American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, World Jewish Congress, Center for Countering Digital Hate, Cyberwell, and Decoding Antisemitism also participated. Senior White House officials, including Neera Tanden, Chair of the Domestic Policy Council and Domestic Policy Advisor to the President, and Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies, delivered opening remarks. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Richard Verma, delivered concluding statements.

"In a realm where fault lines often fracture progress, we convened a diverse cohort of leaders to pinpoint challenges and create enduring solutions. The Symposium served as a space where industry and NGO leaders could utilize each other's experiences and expertise, forging a pathway toward concerted action," explained Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt.

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said about the event, "The Symposium was a critical effort to make some headway in a space that desperately needs attention. Online antisemitism cannot go unchecked. Governments around the world are rightfully focusing their attention on this issue and we are hopeful that Ambassador Lipstadt's initiatives in this space will have lasting impact."

Participating technology companies volunteered to consider taking independent actions to address antisemitism on their respective platforms, including establishing dedicated expert positions on policy teams, implementing antisemitism training for key personnel, and increasing transparency by publicly reporting on trends in antisemitic content.

Note how the State Department didn't even bother to say the goal is fighting anti-Semitism "and other hatred" as they normally do.

This meeting was about protecting one group and one foreign nation from criticism.

This goes hand in glove with the US Congress passing legislation aimed at outlawing criticism of Jews and Israel.

The State Department statement continues:

President of Global Affairs at Google and Alphabet, Kent Walker stated, "Antisemitism has no place in society–and tackling it requires efforts from the government, private sector, civil society, and citizens. Google is committed to fighting hate speech–that includes content targeting the Jewish community–through our policies, tools and programs."

Similarly, President of Global Affairs at Meta, Nick Clegg expressed, "As we witness the disturbing rise in antisemitism around the world, I am grateful to Ambassador Lipstadt for convening this timely and unique forum. It is more important than ever that government, industry and NGOs work closely to support the Jewish community and counter hate and violence targeted at Jews."

The Symposium was the first of its kind. Collaborative efforts like these can be catalysts for forging legacies of innovation and shared values, driving positive change.

The First Amendment states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Every single element of that amendment is being broken.

"Our" Israel First representatives in Congress and the White House are working to:

- Outlaw "anti-Semitic" Christian teachings and prohibit their discussion at universities as a form of anti-Jewish "discrimination"

- Silence criticism of Jews and Israel if it violates the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's "working definition" of "anti-Semitism"

- Suppress media outlets who report on these issues by pushing Big Tech to silence lawful speech they deem "anti-Semitic" (not to mention ban TikTok for allowing criticism of Israel to go viral)

- Shut down pro-Palestine protests

They're even blocking people from petitioning their government by lobbying Big Tech to ban people for their lawful speech, which bans them from contacting their representatives through the modern-day town hall of social media.

They know the American people don't want any of this and that's why the Anti-Defamation League and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations pushed Congress to renew the FISA law to spy on Americans to -- in their own words -- "protect Israel."

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