Dear John,

If you’ve ever felt unsafe online, you’re not alone.

Nearly 1 in 3 Jews have experienced severe online abuse in their lifetimes, according to a recent ADL survey.

Along with a historic rise in antisemitic incidents, online hate has put communities across the country on edge.

Online hate is harmful in its own right, and it can lead to real-world consequences as well, making it difficult for targets to work, go to school, socialize or express their faith.

“When I report blatant antisemitic posts, I am told that they meet Facebook community standards. I don’t know where to turn. The hate has gotten worse, and Facebook doesn’t even try.”
— A 67-year-old Jewish woman

John, make our communities safer for everyone with your first gift today.

Tragically, online hate doesn’t stay online, and people get hurt.

Recent mass shootings in Colorado Springs; Allen, Texas and Jacksonville were preceded by hate-filled online rants.

Even though their business practices have been shown to proliferate hate, tech companies have proven they cannot, or will not, adequately tackle hate and harassment through self-governance. This has never been more evident than with the recent antisemitic campaign to “Ban the ADL”, a call amplified on Elon Musk’s X/Twitter platform that was readily answered by white supremacists, Christian nationalists, conspiracy theorists and others steeped in bigotry.

Concerned people like you and I must rise up.

Tech companies must stop putting profits ahead of people’s safety!

Together, we must insist our lawmakers and policymakers create strong rules and regulations to hold social media platforms accountable. Freedom of speech should not be freedom of reach.

Your first gift will combat online hate and its impact on our families and communities.

You’ll help ADL work across the country with state lawmakers to outlaw illegal doxing (the unauthorized broadcasting of private and personal information online with the intent to cause harm and disrupt a person’s life).

You’ll also support efforts to track and identify individuals and groups promoting hate and extremism online and, when possible, stop hate-driven violence before it occurs.

And you’ll assist ADL as we work to push online antisemitism, harassment and hate out of the mainstream and back into the dark corners of the web.

Thank you for taking immediate action.

Sincerely,

Frederic L. Bloch

Chief Growth Officer

ADL