JTA – A live streaming platform popular with video game players updated its hate speech policy Friday to ban the word “Zionist” when used as a disguised insult against individuals or groups of people.
The decision by Twitch, an Amazon-owned platform with more than 240 million active users, follows increased scrutiny, including from a prominent lawmaker who recently sent a letter to company executives in which he claims the platform “emboldens” anti-Semitism.
In a statement published Friday on its official blog, the company explains: “We prohibit the use of terms which, while not harmful or abusive taken in isolation, could be used as an insult or to denigrate other people in certain contexts. »
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Under this policy, it is permissible to say “Zionist” to comment on the ideology or political movement that led to the founding of Israel, but not to denigrate Jews or Israelis.
“Using the term to refer to the political movement, whether to support or criticize it, does not violate our hateful conduct policy,” Twitch wrote in its blog post. “Our goal is not to stifle debate or criticism of any institution or ideology, but to prevent coded hatred directed against individuals and groups of people.
The platform’s Community Guidelines page has been updated to explain in more detail how this policy works: “We consider the word ‘Zionist’ to be a substitute for the words ‘Jew’ or ‘Israeli’ if the word is used in a context intended to promote harm or violence, or when used to make dehumanizing comparisons or perpetuate anti-Semitic stereotypes. »
The text gives examples of permitted and prohibited uses of the word. Thus, “Zionist settlers continue to encroach on Palestinian borders” would be permitted, but “Zionist [nom d’animal] ” would not, the company said.
Earlier this month, New York U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, known as one of the Democratic Party’s strongest defenders of Israel, called on Twitch to stop what he called anti-Semitism. crawling onto the platform, or face scrutiny from Congress. Torres highlighted recent statements from major Twitch streamers related to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Hasan Piker speaks on stage during Politicon 2018 on October 20, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Credit: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Politicon/AFP)
For example, Torres pointed out that Hasan Piker, a streamer with nearly 3 million followers, downplayed or denied the significance of sexual violence committed by Palestinian terrorists Hamas during the pogrom of October 7, 2023. Piker also declared Orthodox Jews to be “inbred” and called a Jewish person a “bloodthirsty pig dog.”
Last month, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) also called on Twitch to do more to combat anti-Semitism on the platform.
Twitch’s decision to restrict some users’ use of the word “Zionist” follows a similar policy change made in July by Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram.
Twitch also issued an apology last month after leaving a registration barrier in place that some Israelis said prevented them from using the platform. The company said it put in place a safeguard to prevent the sharing of violent content after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and had not removed it, making it more difficult to sign up. for Israelis.
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