Twitter users call for 48 hour boycott of site due to antisemitism

The campaign was sparked over the lack of action taken against British rapper Wiley, who made several antisemitic comments on the platform.

JULY 26, 2020 03:53

People holding mobile phones are silhouetted against a backdrop projected with the Twitter logo in this illustration picture taken September 27, 2013.

(photo credit: REUTERS/KACPER PEMPEL)

Prominent Twitter users are calling for a 48 hour boycott of the social media platform starting Monday, July 27 at 9 a.m. GMT following the site's refusal to take satisfactory action against antisemitism.

Using the hashtag #NoSafeSpaceForJewHate and backed by a number of prominent users including writers, politicians and other celebrities, the new campaign is fueled by frustration felt by many Twitter users over the lack of action taken against antisemitism on the site, despite the platform's claims of being against racism.

The campaign was sparked over the lack of action taken against British rapper Wiley, who made several antisemitic comments on the platform.

“If you work for a company owned by 2 Jewish men and you challenge the Jewish community in anyway of course you will get fired,” Wiley wrote and then added, “Infact [sic] there are 2 sets of people who nobody has really wanted to challenge #Jewish & #KKK but being in business for 20 years you start to undestand [sic] why.”

In several other tweets, Wiley claimed that Jews control "the Law," and made several claims about Israel not being a Jewish country, "Listen to me Jewish community Israel is not your country I'm sorry."

He later doubled down on the comments, stating after being confronted: "Anti Semetic? What's it called the way you rip us off in business then? What's that called when you tell us there is 1 rule for us and another rule for you lot? What's that called?" He added "Anti Semetic? Are u stupid? Do you know what these people do to the world?"

Wiley faced repercussions for his actions, with his longtime manager cutting ties with him and with police launching an investigation.

However, Twitter merely gave his account a suspension, and many of his antisemitic comments remain on the platform.

However, this is not an isolated incident, with the rapper being only one of many prominent accounts with large followings to receive little to no punishment for their antisemitic posts. It also comes after a controversy where the platform would lock the accounts of users who displayed the Star of David in their profile pictures, labeling it "hateful imagery."

As a result, many prominent Twitter users have resolved to take action.

"Twitter has allowed @WileyCEO 48 hours of pure race hate. His tweets are still up," British actress Tracy-Ann Oberman tweeted. She added that Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey "has to stick by their remit of anti-racism. Silence is complicity."

"I stand with my Jewish brethren in solidarity," tweeted prominent British Muslim activist Maajid Nawaz.

"The message needs to be clear, that @Twitter must review its internal processes immediately, start blocking antisemitic accounts and radically improve its protection for its users from racism,” Labour Against Antisemitism tweeted.

In addition, several UK parliamentarians from the Conservative Party also voiced their support of the boycott.

"Twitter has failed to adequately act against anti-Jewish racism on their platform & allowed people like Wiley to spread their poison. So we say: #NoSafeSpaceForJewHate," MP Robert Largan tweeted.

"I will be joining this walkout. Twitter would be a much nicer place without hatred and racism," MP Jane Stevenson wrote.

"I will be joining the 48 hour walkout," MP Alicia Kearns wrote. "Twitter shouldn’t fail to act when faced with blatant hatred and racism. I reported the hate. Users agree to certain terms & conditions as community members but the sickening antisemitism we see doesn’t seem to count."

From the Labour Party, MP Tonia Antoniazzi wrote "This has to stop. I’ll be joining the protest."

“The action we are announcing today is to show that the Jewish community and its allies have had enough of platforms like Twitter acting as loudspeakers for antisemitism, amplifying the hatred of Jews to millions of other social media users," a spokesperson for the campaign told the Jewish Chronicle.

"As soon as Wiley began posting his antisemitic tweets on Friday Twitter was flooded with requests to have his account taken down. In response Twitter deleted a couple of his tweets and gave the grime star a brief suspension. It was a completely inadequate response.

"Unless there is an immediate change in how Twitter operates then there will be further action, including legal action, against the organization.”

Jerusalem Post Staff and Reuters contributed to this report.