KRAKOW, Poland — To confront the evolving
challenges of antisemitism, the World Jewish Congress (WJC) convened its
Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism (SECCA) Forum on Tuesday
in Krakow. The event provided a collaborative platform for government
officials, Jewish community representatives and global experts.
The forum, which focused on harnessing new
technologies to combat hate and Holocaust distortion, followed the official
commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau,
a poignant reminder of the importance of Holocaust education and remembrance in
the fight against hatred.
Attendees of the forum included dozens of government
representatives and international organizations that shared their priorities
for combating antisemitism in their respective regions. Chaired by Katharina
von Schnurbein, the European Commission’s coordinator on combating antisemitism
and fostering Jewish life, discussions underscored the critical need for
cross-border cooperation to address the rising threats of antisemitism and
Holocaust distortion, both online and in society.
A centerpiece of the event was the direct engagement
with representatives from Meta, TikTok and X. These tech leaders participated
in discussions on fighting automated hate speech, addressing the rapid
evolution of harmful content post-October 7, and leveraging generative AI to
mitigate online hate. The conversations emphasized accountability, transparency
and the importance of adapting content-moderation practices to meet emerging
challenges.
“As the world continues to grapple with antisemitism
on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, we are
grateful for our partnership with the World Jewish Congress and the work that
we have done together to combat Holocaust denial and
antisemitism,” said Nell McCarthy, Vice President, Trust
& Safety, Meta. “This includes our partnership redirecting anyone
who searches about the Holocaust or Holocaust denial to the WJC/UNESCO
website aboutholocaust.org. We recognize the role that we can play
in fulfilling the promise of Never Again and we appreciate the invitation to
participate in the SECCA Forum to hear voices of Jewish communities from around
the world in this critical time.”
Valiant Richey, Global Head of Outreach and
Partnerships, Trust & Safety, TikTok, said, “We’re honored to partner with the
World Jewish Congress in the fight against antisemitism online. We share WJC’s
commitment to remembrance and education, which are critical to preventing hate
and fostering common ground, and have connected more than three million people
on our platform to facts about the Holocaust from WJC.”
Wifredo Fernandez, Head of US & Canada Government
Affairs, X, said, “X was
honored to participate in the 80th Anniversary Commemoration of the liberation
of Auschwitz-Birkenau and grateful for the opportunity to participate in the
12th International SECCA meeting, where we discussed our work in combating antisemitism.
We look forward to continued collaboration with the World Jewish Congress and
the Special Envoys and Coordinators on this critical challenge.”
In addition, The WJC’s Technology and Human Rights
Institute (TecHRI) presented findings from its Human vs. AI:
Comparison of Online Antisemitism Experiences study. The research
examined the experiences of two Jewish individuals targeted by online hate,
comparing their assessments of antisemitic content with those of generative AI
systems, ChatGPT and Claude. The study highlighted both the limitations of AI
in understanding contextual nuances and its potential to detect antisemitism
more effectively when adequately trained.
“When technology companies engage directly with Jewish
communities it enables them to fully understand the real-world impact of online
hate and misinformation. Collaboration is essential to developing tech-based
solutions that can effectively mitigate risks and prevent harm. This can be
done through the responsible use of AI and enforcement of already existing
policies,” said TecHRI Executive Director Yfat Barak-Cheney.
“Having representatives from Meta, X and TikTok in one
room today underscores the commitment of these platforms to listen, learn and
take actionable steps to address the challenges we face together,” she added.
The forum also featured thought-provoking
contributions from experts that included TecHRI advisory council members Prof.
Yuval Shany and Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, as well as Dr. Rob Williams, the
Finci-Viterbi Executive Director of USC Shoah Foundation, and Hannah Rose of
the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. They shared insights on regulating online
hate speech and protecting vulnerable communities, emphasizing collaborative
policymaking; the enforcement of best practices; and the essential role of
partnerships between civil society, governments and the private sector.
Separately, prominent global leaders including Miguel
Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of
Civilizations, introduced the UN Action Plan to combat antisemitism, while
Poland’s Deputy Minister of Justice Dariusz Mazur outlined that
country’s National Strategy and priorities for its upcoming EU presidency.
Alice Nderitu, former UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on the
Prevention of Genocide, also addressed the group.
The SECCA Forum continues to serve as a vital platform
for fostering dialogue, promoting innovative approaches and advancing the
global fight against antisemitism.
About SECCA
The Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating
Antisemitism (SECCA) forum was established by the World Jewish Congress to
promote international collaboration, share best practices and assess progress
in combating antisemitism. SECCA includes government officials, Jewish
community representatives, and organizations such as the European Commission,
IHRA and UNESCO.
About the World Jewish Congress
The World Jewish Congress (WJC) is the international organization representing Jewish communities in 100 countries to governments, parliaments and international organizations.