Uncovering coded antisemitism online takes both human expertise and AI automation
Uncovering coded antisemitism online takes both human expertise and AI automation
Publish Date: 2026-05-18 08:21:00
Source Domain: theconversation.com
- The men behind several high-profile antisemitic attacks in the U.S. posted antisemitic hate speech on their social media before committing these acts.
- Hate speech can be either explicit (direct) or coded, with the latter often using obscure terms that avoid detection by online censors.
- The vast number of social media accounts worldwide makes it challenging for content moderators to keep track of offensive speech effectively.
- The researchers from American University’s “Unmasking Antisemitism” project aim to identify and combat both overt and coded antisemitic hate speech using a mix of artificial intelligence, qualitative analysis, and surveys.
- Hate speech terminology goes through a life cycle, developed by influencers within antisemitic circles and may spread widely or fall out of use.
- The researchers have developed a software tool that, using AI, can track and identify new antisemitic terms by analyzing the context in which they appear.
- The project highlights the importance of combining human expertise with machine learning to successfully track and mitigate the spread of hate speech on social media.