Elon Musk has sparked a backlash after claiming the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) were “the biggest generators of antisemitism” on Twitter.
The owner of Twitter, which Musk has tried to rebrand as X.com, also asked his followers whether he should start a poll about banning the group.
In response to a video clip of conspiracy theorist presenter Alex Jones branding ADL as "pro-hitler", Musk added: "The ADL, because they are so aggressive in their demands to ban social media accounts for even minor infractions, are ironically the biggest generators of antisemitism on this platform!”
The #BanTheADL hashtag has been embraced in recent days by white nationalists and others on the far right. Musk had “liked” a tweet launching the hashtag by Keith Woods, an Irish white nationalist and self-described “raging antisemite.”
Posting on August 31, Woods said: “The ADL’s favourite tactic is financially blackmailing social media companies into removing free speech on their platforms.
“Why should they have a platform on X to hold @elonmusk to ransom? It’s time to #BanTheADL.”
Interesting
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2023
Andrew Torba, a Christian nationalist who founded Gab, a right-wing Twitter competitor has also endorsed the hashtag.
Woods’ tweet came a day after Jonathan Greenblatt, the ADL’s CEO, spoke with Linda Yaccarino, the boss of Twitter, about users trafficking in hate on the platform.
The ADL said they recorded large spikes in racist, antisemitic and homophobic content and harassment since Musk bought the platform last year.
Posting about his conversation on Twitter, Greenblatt said: “I had a very frank + productive conversation with @LindayaX yesterday about @X, what works and what doesn’t, and where it needs to go to address hate effectively on the platform.
I had a very frank + productive conversation with @LindayaX yesterday about @X, what works and what doesn't, and where it needs to go to address hate effectively on the platform. I appreciated her reaching out and I'm hopeful the service will improve. @ADL will be vigilant and…
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) August 30, 2023
“I appreciated her reaching out and I’m hopeful the service will improve. @ADL will be vigilant and give her and @ElonMusk credit if the service gets better… and reserve the right to call them out until it does.”
Responding to the #BanTheADL hashtag, the ADL attacked those who launched the campaign but did not mention Musk.
In a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, they said: “ADL is unsurprised yet undeterred that antisemites, white supremacists, conspiracy theorists and other trolls have launched a coordinated attack on our organisation.
“This onslaught comes following our participation in the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington, where ADL proudly marched shoulder-to-shoulder with African-American leaders and those from other minority communities.
“It also follows a meeting with the leadership of X, formerly known as Twitter, that clearly upset these hateful groups.
“Such insidious efforts don’t daunt us. Instead, they drive us to be unflinching in our commitment to fight hate in all its forms and ensure the safety of Jewish communities and other marginalised groups.”
GettyImages-491014678 Jonathan Greenblatt ADL
CEO of the ADL and former Obama administration official Jonathan Greenblatt (Photo: Handout)
The ADL has criticised and clashed with Musk and Twitter several times in recent months.
Musk clashed with the ADL in May after it accused him of echoing antisemitic tropes in his attack on Jewish billionaire George Soros.
Meanwhile, the Auschwitz Memorial criticised the social media platform for failing to remove an antisemitic post on the site which called for Jews to 'burn in hell'.
Musk has previously described himself as a free-speech absolutist.
Researchers have found an increase in hate speech and antisemitic content on the platform since he took over, and some governments have accused the company of not doing enough to moderate its content.
