Mark Zuckerberg's hate-speech gamble fuels Gen Z radicalization on Instagram
2 days ago
- #Meta
- #Anti-Semitism
- A verified fashion brand with a black-and-white bunny logo, @forbiddenclothes, has nearly half a million followers on Instagram and posts controversial content, including Nazi-related memes.
- One of its most-watched posts features a Nazi SS officer from 'Inglourious Basterds' with a caption mocking political arguments, garnering 31 million views and 1.6 million likes.
- Another reel shows an AI-generated 'translation' of an Adolf Hitler speech, tallying Jewish people in Trump’s cabinet and media, with 1.4 million views and 142,000 likes.
- Meta removed some clips after being flagged by Fortune, but similar content remains, including Holocaust denial and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
- Instagram’s algorithm promotes extremist content, often packaged as humor or aesthetic, maximizing engagement and monetization for creators.
- Major brands like JPMorgan Chase, Porsche, and the U.S. Army advertise alongside extremist content, raising concerns about reputational risks.
- Meta claims it doesn’t want such content on its platforms but admits to reducing moderation efforts, leading to increased visibility of hate speech.
- Creators of anti-Semitic reels admit they post for profit, with some earning thousands from sponsorships and engagement bonuses.
- Meta’s policy changes in January 2025, including loosening political-content rules, have led to a surge in extremist content reach.
- Anti-Semitic violence has increased, with incidents linked to online rhetoric, including a Jakarta school bombing and attacks in the U.S.
- The content often uses coded language and irony, making it harder to detect but fostering a sense of shared transgression among viewers.
- High-profile figures, including Donald Trump Jr., follow accounts promoting this content, though their intent remains unclear.