The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has evolved from its founding mission to combat antisemitism into a key player in digital platform content moderation and online hate monitoring.

Platform Content Moderation

Policy Development: The ADL works directly with major technology platforms to develop hate speech policies and content moderation guidelines, providing expertise on extremist symbols, language, and tactics.

Content Review: Collaborates with platforms on specific content decisions and policy enforcement, particularly around antisemitic content, extremist messaging, and hate-motivated harassment.

Platform Partnerships: Maintains formal partnerships with Facebook, YouTube, Twitter/X, and other platforms to share intelligence about emerging hate trends and extremist activities.

Moderation Training: Provides training and resources to platform content moderators on identifying antisemitic imagery, extremist symbols, and coded hate speech.

Digital Hate Monitoring

The ADL has adapted traditional hate monitoring to the digital age through comprehensive online tracking and analysis.

Online Intelligence: Operates the Center for Extremism, which monitors hate groups and extremist activities across social media platforms, messaging apps, and fringe websites.

Trending Analysis: Tracks emerging hate trends, viral antisemitic content, and coordinated harassment campaigns across digital platforms.

Documentation: Maintains databases of extremist content, hate symbols, and online harassment patterns used by researchers, law enforcement, and platforms.

Rapid Response: Quickly identifies and responds to viral hate content and coordinated harassment campaigns targeting Jewish communities and other groups.

Free Speech Debate Participation

The ADL’s platform moderation advocacy has placed it at the center of ongoing debates about online free speech and content regulation.

Content Standards Advocacy: Advocates for platform policies that address hate speech while engaging with free speech concerns from civil liberties organizations and conservative groups.

Regulatory Engagement: Participates in legislative hearings and policy discussions about platform accountability, content moderation transparency, and digital safety regulations.

Industry Standards: Works to establish industry-wide standards for hate speech identification and response while addressing concerns about censorship and viewpoint discrimination.

The ADL’s evolution into digital hate monitoring and platform policy has made it a central organization in contemporary debates about online speech, content moderation, and digital safety.