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Computational Propaganda and the Democratic Process

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computational propaganda
March 01, 2019 By Samuel Woolley | ADL Center for Technology and Society Belfer Fellow On October 27, 2018 Robert Bowers shot and killed eleven people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Bowers was at least partially radicalized online. He made regular use of the extremist-friendly social media platform Gab. After months of anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant posts on the site he even wrote that he was “going in” shortly before the massacre. The day before the…
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ADL's Issues in Latin America: The Year in Review

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Argentina and Israel flags
December 21, 2018 With approximately 3 percent of the world’s Jewish population residing in Latin America, ADL works in partnership with the organized Jewish communal institutions to lend our voices when needed. Going into 2019, as challenges to Jewish community grow worldwide, ADL’s focus on strengthening relations with local Jewish communities across Latin America will continue to be paramount, particularly in areas of common interest.   Political shifts  …
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Fighting Hate Through Games

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Game Jam
December 21, 2018 64% of American households have a member that plays video games for three or more hours per week. And these gamers are not just kids. In 2017, the average age of a gamer was 31, and there were more gamers over 36 than between 18 – 35 or under 18. At ADL’s Center for Technology and Society (CTS) we know that video games can be a meaningful force for good in society. We think games can be incredible tools in helping to challenge bias and create respectful and…
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Racist Skinheads Charged in Washington State Hate Crime Attack

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washington state hate crime
December 13, 2018 On December 9, a group of eight individuals associated with the racist skinhead movement were arrested in Lynnwood, Washington, for allegedly assaulting and shouting racial slurs at the DJ at the Rec Room Bar. The DJ, a black man, was reportedly punched and stomped on during the altercation. Each of the eight individuals faces malicious harassment hate crime charges for their alleged role in the assault. Those charged in the assault include Travis David Condor of…
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Jonathan Greenblatt's Remarks Introducing Apple CEO Tim Cook at the 2018 Never Is Now Summit on Anti-Semitism

News
Remarks by Jonathan A. Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League December 03, 2018 We’ve had some great conversations today and I am really excited about our next speaker, who I know, not only will add a spark to this conversation, I am certain that he will inspire us. We are thrilled to have Tim Cook here with us. You know him best as Apple’s CEO, a role he has held for the past seven years. But Tim doesn’t just run an amazing company, he has shown repeatedly…
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Opening Remarks: The 2018 ADL 'Never Is Now!' Summit in New York

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Remarks by Jonathan A. Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League December 03, 2018 New York, NY, December 3, 2018 Thank you for that kind introduction, and welcome to our third annual Never is Now conference. You know, ever since I started as ADL’s CEO nearly three and a half years ago, the thing that has kept me up at night is the fear that I will wake up the next morning to the news that something horrible has happened to a Jewish community in some far-off place. I…
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Another White Supremacist Uses Gab to Share Violent, Racist Fantasies

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DC Bowl Gang Gab
November 15, 2018 In a chilling postscript to Robert Bowers’ murderous October shooting spree at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, authorities in Washington, D.C., arrested Jeffrey Raphiel Clark, Jr., 30, an on-line associate of Bowers. The November 9 arrest came after family members contacted law enforcement out of concern that Clark might become violent. Clark was charged with illegal transportation of a firearm across state lines, possession of an illegal high-capacity…
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Tree of Life Shooting Revives “Optics” Debate Among White Supremacists

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optics bowers
November 06, 2018 Robert Bowers appears to have referenced “optics” on social media prior to allegedly opening fire at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. His comments -- “Screw your optics, I’m going in.” -- and extremists’ reaction to them highlight a division that has dogged the white supremacist movement since August 2017’s violent “Unite the Right” rally. Following the shooting rampage, Matt Parrott, co-founder of the now…
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Gab Was Down For a Week, Forcing Extremists to Consider Their Alternatives

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gab is gone resize
November 05, 2018 UPDATE: On November 3, one week after the massacre at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue and six days after going dark, Gab found a new home at Epik.com. In a statement, Epik’s CEO, Robert W. Monster, explained his willingness to host Gab, writing, “De-platforming a haven of free speech is not about left or right.” He also quoted Edmund Burke’s famous warning, “Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it,” superimposed…
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How to Turn the Tide of Hate: After Pittsburgh, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram Must Combat Anti-Semitism

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by: Jonathan Greenblatt | November 02, 2018 New York Daily News In Pittsburgh this week, the Jewish community has been burying its dead, the innocent men and women massacred by an anti-Semite while they were praying at the Tree of Life synagogue. For many of us, social media platforms — such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram — have been vital ways to connect with people near and far to share our grief, anger and determination as well as ways to take action, from…
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White Supremacists' Anti-Semitic and Anti-Immigrant Sentiments Often Intersect

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bowers hias
October 27, 2018 The last post made to the social networking account believed to belong to Robert Bowers, the suspect in Saturday’s deadly shooting spree at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, claimed that “HIAS [Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society] likes to bring invaders in that kill our people.  I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered.  Screw your optics, I’m going in.”  The post, made just a short time before the attack on the…
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"The Jews Should Count Themselves Lucky." Extremists React to Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting

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gab bowers
October 27, 2018 Extremists reacted quickly and vocally to Saturday’s shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue. Some celebrated the killings as “another holiday to add to the calendar,” others blamed the Jewish community for inciting the violence and praising the apparent perpetrator for his decisive action. Still others bemoaned the media coverage of the “false flag” distraction from the incoming “caravan” of Central American immigrants and refugees. …
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Deadly Shooting at Pittsburgh Synagogue

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tree of life
October 27, 2018 According to police and media reports, Robert Bowers allegedly entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on Saturday morning, yelling, “All Jews Must Die” as he opened fire. As of Saturday evening, the death toll stood at 11, and several people remained hospitalized. A profile on Gab – a social media site frequented by right-wing extremists – which appears to belong to Bowers, showcases his virulent anti-Semitism. The vast majority of…
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ADL, New America Provide First Real-Time Look at How Extremists Target Minority Groups on Twitter

Press Release
Part of ongoing efforts to understand the spread of hate across social media Washington, D.C., October 15, 2018 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and New America today unveiled a new interactive dashboard that provides the first real-time visualization of extremist content on Twitter targeting Jews, Muslims, the LGBTQ community, and other minority groups. The tool is part of a joint initiative to increase the understanding of how extremists are using social media and adapting their…
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The Antisemitism Lurking Behind George Soros Conspiracy Theories

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A caricature of George Soros as a tentacled monster has appeared on various right-wing and pro-Russian web sites since at least 2015.
October 11, 2018 Hungarian Jewish billionaire, philanthropist and Holocaust survivor George Soros is widely recognized for funding progressive political and social causes, usually through grants made by his Open Society Foundations. As a result, Soros has become a lightning rod for conservative and right-wing groups who object to his funding of liberal causes. In far-right circles worldwide, Soros’ philanthropy often is recast as fodder for outsized conspiracy theories, including…
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ADL Statement on Reddit's New Quarantine Policy for Holocaust Denial

Press Release
New York, NY, September 28, 2018 ... The following is a statement from ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt in response to Reddit's new policy to quarantine communities that propagate misinformation, including Holocaust denial. "Holocaust denial is hate speech. Tech platforms have a moral and ethical obligation to prevent such anti-Semitic conspiracy theories from spreading. That's why we're grateful to see Reddit take this proactive step to reduce the number of people who will see such hateful…
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International Community Can and Must Do More to Confront Hate Crimes

News
By David Weinberg | Washington Representative for International Affairs and Susan Corke | Director of Countering Antisemitism and Extremism at Human Rights First August 15, 2018 The Hill In 2017, when the number of homophobic hate crimes increased in Norway, the Oslo police force marched in the Pride parade as a show of solidarity. When Canadian synagogues were threatened, authorities denounced the threats as antithetical to Canadian values, and police promised to proactively…
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Five Lessons of Charlottesville One Year Later: ADL Director

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by: Jonathan Greenblatt | August 12, 2018 USA Today One year ago, hundreds of torch-wielding white supremacists gathered on the campus of the University of Virginia, chanting “Jews will not replace us!" The following day, the streets of Charlottesville exploded in violence, as neo-Nazis, Klansmen and alt-right agitators clashed with counter-protestors. As the National Guard was being called in, a young counter-protester, Heather Heyer, was killed in a tragedy…
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It’s Time to Examine How Online Disinformation Affects Social Groups

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Computer numbers
July 26, 2018 By Samuel Woolley | Belfer Fellow with ADL's Center for Technology and Society   Computational propaganda — the use of automation and algorithms on social media to manipulate public opinion — has become a global phenomenon. This has come as a surprise to many in the technology sector, and it’s quite the adverse development given that less than a decade ago experts hailed social media as a savior for democratic communication. Russian…
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How We Can Use Games to Understand Others Better

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video games belfer
June 25, 2018 By Karen Schrier | Belfer Fellow with ADL's Center for Technology and Society Can games be used to support positive social change, connectedness, and caring, and help reduce bias? These are the big questions I will be exploring over the next year as a Belfer Fellow with ADL’s Center for Technology and Society. There are many questions in this area that need to be answered, but here are a few initial insights: Games may support empathy — but there are…
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