Anti-Semitic Targeting of Journalists During the 2016 Presidential Ca

KEY FINDINGS • Based on a broad set of keywords (and keyword combinations) designed by ADL to capture anti-Semitic language, there were 2.6 million tweets containing language frequently found in antiSemitic speech between August 2015 – July 2016. • These tweets had an estimated 10 billion impressions (reach), which may contribute to reinforcing and normalizing antiSemitic language on a massive scale. • At least 800 journalists received anti-Semitic tweets with an estimated reach of 45 million impressions. The top 10 most targeted journalists (all of whom are Jewish) received 83 percent of these anti-Semitic tweets. • 1,600 Twitter accounts generated 68% of the anti-Semitic tweets targeting journalists. 21% of these 1,600 accounts have been suspended in the study period, amounting to 16% of the anti-Semitic tweets. • Sixty percent of the anti-Semitic tweets were replies to journalists’ posts (11% were regular Tweets and 29% retweets). In other words, anti-Semitism more often than not occurred in response to journalists’ initial posts. overall data pull based on keywords correlating with anti-Semitism 2,641,072 Total mentions 2015 2016 from August 1, 2015 through July 31, 2016 contained these keywords 10,000,000,000 Number of estimated impressions generated 66% Percentage of tweets posted by male users, based on user-disclosed details • There was a significant uptick in anti-Semitic tweets in the second half (Jan-July 2016) of this study period. This correlates to intensifying coverage of the presidential campaign, the candidates and their positions on a range of issues. • There is evidence that a considerable number of the anti-Semitic tweets targeting journalists originate with people identifying themselves as Trump supporters, “conservatives” or extreme right-wing elements. The words that show up most in the bios of Twitter user’s sending anti-Semitic tweets to journalists are “Trump,” “nationalist,” “conservative,” “American” and “white.” This finding does not imply that Mr. Trump supported these tweets, or that conservatives are more prone to anti-Semitism. It does show that the individuals directing anti-Semitism toward journalists self-identified as Trump supporters and conservatives. • While anti-Semitic tweets tended to spike in the wake of election-related news coverage, the language used in the anti-Semitic tweets was not solely election-related. Many tweets referenced classic anti-Semitic tropes (Jews control the media, Jews control global finance, Jews perpetrated 9/11, etc.). This suggests that while the initial provocation for anti-Semitic tweets may have been at least nominally election-related, the Twitter users generating targeted anti-Semitism may have used news events as an excuse to unleash anti-Semitic memes, harassment, etc. • The words most frequently used in anti-Semitic tweets directed at journalists included “kike,” “Israel,” “Zionist,” and “white” etc., an indication that the harassment may have been prompted by the perceived religious identity of the journalist. 1

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