Study Reveals Simple Messaging Strategy Boosts Online Antisemitism Reporting
A new study by the ADL and Boundless shows that reminding young Americans that antisemitism is widely rejected significantly increases their ability to identify and report online hate speech.
A comprehensive new study by the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) Center on Extremism and the Boundless organization reveals that a simple intervention can significantly boost the fight against online antisemitism among young Americans. The research shows that reminding young adults that the vast majority of the American public rejects antisemitism increases their likelihood of identifying and reporting hate speech online.
The study was conducted between July 9 and 17, 2026, by the research firm Cint, surveying a representative sample of 7,499 Americans aged 18 to 44. Participants were randomly divided and exposed to one of six different messaging variations or no message at all, before evaluating real examples of classic and contemporary antisemitic posts associated with the political right, left, or lacking clear political affiliation.
Measurable Gains in Identification and Reporting
Results demonstrated a consistent improvement among participants exposed to messaging emphasizing social norms against antisemitism. Findings included a 6.1% increase in the likelihood of identifying non-politically affiliated contemporary antisemitic posts, alongside a 5.6% rise in willingness to report them. Furthermore, researchers noted a 6.9% increase in understanding why Jewish communities view contemporary right-wing posts as offensive, a 5.9% boost in reporting classic left-wing antisemitism, and a 5.7% increase in reporting non-aligned classic antisemitic posts.
"Young people encounter antisemitism online daily, and too often fail to recognize it for what it is," said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL. He emphasized that the findings prove social norm reinforcement is a practical, scalable tool with substantial potential for educators, digital platforms, and community leaders. Matt Williams, vice president of the ADL's Center on Extremism, added that a 6% increase translates to preventing or mitigating hate at scale when applied to millions of active users.
Persistent Challenges Among Gen Z and Millennials
Despite encouraging results, the study highlights a profound gap in recognizing antisemitism, particularly contemporary tropes intersecting with Israel and Zionism. Among unexposed participants, between 22% and 29% failed to agree that classic antisemitic posts expressed hatred toward Jews. For contemporary posts utilizing anti-Israel language, that figure rose sharply to between 32% and 37%.
"People cannot combat antisemitism if they cannot identify it," stressed Aviva Klompas, co-founder and CEO of Boundless. She called for evidence-based interventions to build public resilience against conspiracy theories and digital manipulation. The research also revealed generational nuances: Millennials demonstrated slightly higher baseline recognition, while Gen Z respondents who successfully identified antisemitic content showed a higher readiness to report it at 77%, compared to 68% among Millennials.
