Antisemitism online is more widespread than ever, and the content is often filled with misinformation and conspiracy, according to the New Zealand Jewish Council.
The organisation has collated content from New Zealand users and platforms over the past year, and says there is a risk it will cause real-world harm.
“Some of the most upsetting things are references to the Holocaust,” Juliet Moses said.
“Hitler was right, Hitler should have finished the job, swastikas, caricatures straight out of Nazi propaganda, that kind of thing.”
A lot of it is fuelled by far-right conspiracy groups in the United States, in particular QAnon, according to Distinguished Professor Paul Spoonley.
Spoonley is the co-director of The Centre of Research Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, He Whenua Taurikura.
“What really, really concerns me is that there are people and communities that are now buying into antisemitism that there never were in the past. So I think there has been an escalation here.” Spoonley said.
Stephen Judd from Fact Aotearoa, an organisation aimed at highlighting the dangers of misinformation, says current rules around hate speech don’t work and are extremely limited in protecting people.
“A major challenge in New Zealand is that our legal framework isn’t fit for purpose here,” Judd said.
“So there are many overlapping agencies that have some responsibility, but not whole responsibility. The law is framed in terms of real world events, so until real world harm happens, there’s often very little that can be done.”
More than 18 months ago the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch Mosque Attacks recommended hate speech laws in Aotearoa be updated, but reform is still before cabinet.
Justice Minister Kiritapu Allan told 1News that responding to the Royal Commission’s recommendations is a top priority for the Government and that work in this area is progressing, but the next steps need careful consideration.
Research out last year shows 2021 saw a dramatic increase in antisemitism worldwide, fuelled by the pandemic and the spread of conspiracy theories online.
