History under attack: Holocaust denial and distortion on social media
Paris:
UNESCO
(2022), 68 pp.
ISBN 9 789231 005312
CC BY-SA
"This publication is the first report from UNESCO and the United Nations to specifically address Holocaust denial and distortion. It details the ways in which social media is fertile ground for hate and prejudice - and proposes actions we can take in response. Based on the data of billions of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Telegram users, the report outlines what information English, French, Spanish, and German speakers encounter about the Holocaust.<NZ>Almost half of all Holocaust-related content on Telegram, for example, is false, misleading, or distorted. Holocaust denial and distortion are often present alongside other types of online hate speech and misinformation such as homophobia, misogyny, xenophobia, conspiracy theory and COVID-19 denial. This co-presence indicates that these issues should not necessarily be addressed in isolation." (Foreword)
Contents
1 Introduction, 13
Rationale -- A global commitment to counter Holocaust denial and distortion -- What is Holocaust distortion? -- Why are Holocaust denial and distortion harmful?
2 Measuring Holocaust denial and distortion online, 21
Research scope -- Methodology -- Quantifying Holocaust denial and distortion online -- Holocaust denial and distortion across languages -- Narratives of Holocaust denial and distortion on social media -- Holocaust denial -- Celebrating the Holocaust -- Blaming Jews for the Holocaust -- Delegitimizing Israel by depicting it as a Nazi State -- Smearing Jews by accusing them of inventing or exploiting the Holocaust for their own benefit -- Equating the Holocaust
3 Communication of denial and distortionist content, 46
Coded language -- Memes -- Dog whistles -- Signposting -- Co-presence of hate speech and hateful ideologies
4 Conclusions, 54
5 Recommendations, 58
for research bodies, academia and civil society -- for social media companies and online platforms -- for education
Rationale -- A global commitment to counter Holocaust denial and distortion -- What is Holocaust distortion? -- Why are Holocaust denial and distortion harmful?
2 Measuring Holocaust denial and distortion online, 21
Research scope -- Methodology -- Quantifying Holocaust denial and distortion online -- Holocaust denial and distortion across languages -- Narratives of Holocaust denial and distortion on social media -- Holocaust denial -- Celebrating the Holocaust -- Blaming Jews for the Holocaust -- Delegitimizing Israel by depicting it as a Nazi State -- Smearing Jews by accusing them of inventing or exploiting the Holocaust for their own benefit -- Equating the Holocaust
3 Communication of denial and distortionist content, 46
Coded language -- Memes -- Dog whistles -- Signposting -- Co-presence of hate speech and hateful ideologies
4 Conclusions, 54
5 Recommendations, 58
for research bodies, academia and civil society -- for social media companies and online platforms -- for education
