JERUSALEM — CyberWell, an Israeli research organization, published a report documenting a social media trend it labeled "Promised 3,000 Years Ago." The report focuses on the trend spreading antisemitic stereotypes through gym-related humor and AI-generated content.
The trend involves creators placing rope attachments around their heads to mimic sidelocks. Posts within the trend assert that Jewish individuals falsely claim ownership of gym equipment belonging to others. The report also documented fitness influencers using humor to portray Jewish individuals through stereotypes related to money and aggression. CyberWell reported that comment sections attached to these videos contain messages mocking the Holocaust.
The organization, founded in Israel in 2022, monitors online hate speech and publishes findings. Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor, Founder and Chief Executive of CyberWell, stated that social media platforms previously hesitated to remove similar content due to its humorous framing. "This new trend in open gym antisemitism is a direct result of social media platforms' failure to apply their content moderation policies to AI-generated content packaged as jokes." Montemayor said. She also added, "Platforms must address antisemitism that is disguised as humor and coded cultural references that turn longstanding prejudice into widely shared content."
The organization reported that social media platforms currently remove a larger percentage of flagged content than in previous periods. She said, "The normalization phase, when harmful content is dismissed as comedy, is when early intervention matters most." She also commented, "The gym has become another public setting where Jews may feel less safe and less welcome due to an online climate that rewards open hostility toward Jews."
No independent assessment was available for this report.