US presses TikTok, Meta and X to crack down on anti-Semitic posts
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The Biden administration is urging big technology companies to ramp up efforts to curb anti-Semitic content on their platforms.
PHOTO: AFP
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NEW YORK - The Biden administration is urging big technology companies to ramp up efforts to curb anti-Semitic content on their platforms, Bloomberg News reported on May 28.
Representatives from companies including Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok and X on May 23 met US special envoy Deborah Lipstadt for a meeting on monitoring and combating anti-Semitism.
Ms Lipstadt requested that each company designate a policy team member to address the issue and conduct training for key personnel to identify anti-Semitism and publicly report trends in anti-Jewish content.
“We welcomed this convening and were pleased to come together to share facts about the ongoing steps TikTok takes on this important issue and to continue to learn from experts in the room,” a TikTok spokesperson said.
Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta and X did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Countries around the world have seen a rise in anti-Semitism following the Oct 7 attack by Hamas on southern Israel and subsequent bombardment of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military.
The companies have not yet agreed to voluntary moves, but the administration is hopeful they will act soon, Mr Lipstadt told Bloomberg News.
The administration is also requesting staff training in order to help identify more implicit anti-Semitic messages on online platforms and to differentiate between criticism of the Israeli government and hatred directed at Jews, Ms Lipstadt added. REUTERS
