Antisemitism is becoming increasingly prevalent across social media platforms, with new studies warning that recommendation algorithms and systems designed to maximize engagement may be helping hateful content reach audiences who never actively searched for it.

Antisemitic messages, conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial can now spread rapidly to enormous online audiences, raising concerns that such material is increasingly moving from fringe corners of the internet into mainstream social media feeds.

A European Union survey published in January 2026 found that 61% of Europeans consider online antisemitism a problem in their country — an increase of 10 percentage points compared with 2018.

Additionally, 47% of Europeans surveyed said they believe antisemitism in their country has increased over the past five years.

Some of the most striking findings involve Instagram.

A study published in July by the Center for the Study of Antisemitism at the Combat Antisemitism Movement found that antisemitic material was nearly seven times more likely to appear among the most-viewed videos posted by certain Instagram aggregator accounts compared with other content.

Another study released by the organization in March examined Instagram’s recommendation system and alleged that its algorithms were actively directing users toward antisemitic material.

According to the researchers, users did not necessarily have to search for antisemitic posts to encounter them. Instead, recommendations generated by the platform could lead users toward increasingly hateful material.

The Anti-Defamation League has also warned this year about the spread of antisemitism and extremist content on Instagram.

In a report, the ADL argued that changes to Meta’s content-moderation policies have contributed to an environment in which extremists can more easily distribute hateful material.

Holocaust denial and distortion remain another major concern.

Research conducted by UNESCO and the United Nations examined Holocaust-related content circulating across social media and warned about the continuing dissemination of false information and distortions of the historical record.

Taken together, the findings suggest that online antisemitism is no longer confined to posts deliberately distributed within extremist communities.

Researchers warn that recommendation systems — combined with algorithms that reward provocative material capable of generating views, comments and shares — can potentially amplify antisemitic content and expose much larger audiences to it.

For ordinary social media users, one of the most concerning findings is that exposure does not necessarily require actively seeking out hateful material.

In several of the studies, recommendation mechanisms themselves were identified as part of the pathway through which antisemitic content reached users.

The data does not suggest that every social media user will encounter antisemitism. However, researchers say it illustrates a significant shift in how quickly hateful ideas can spread online.

Material that once might have remained confined to extremist circles can now potentially reach massive audiences within a short period of time, allowing antisemitic rhetoric, conspiracy theories and Holocaust distortion to become increasingly embedded in mainstream online discourse.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)