The spread of antisemitic conspiracy theories online increasingly relies on tactics long associated with Holocaust denial, according to new research by the non-profit organisation CyberWell. The findings warn that denial of violence against Jews and claims that Jews orchestrate attacks against themselves are becoming central features of online antisemitism, reports The Jerusalem Post.
The report, released ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, analysed more than 300 pieces of antisemitic social media content that together received nearly 14 million views. CyberWell examined posts that denied violent attacks on Jews and Israelis or promoted conspiracy narratives accusing them of staging such attacks for political or financial gain.
CyberWell said these narratives aim to erase Jewish victimhood, deny documented atrocities, and invert responsibility by portraying Jews or Israelis as perpetrators of violence against themselves. The organisation described this pattern as a modern evolution of Holocaust denial, adapted to contemporary events and digital platforms.
The research, titled Denial and Conspiratorial Self-Victimisation in Antisemitic Discourse, identified a gap in existing monitoring frameworks. While the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of antisemitism addresses Holocaust denial, CyberWell noted that it does not explicitly cover denial or conspiratorial narratives surrounding contemporary antisemitic violence. To address this, the organisation developed a new categorisation system to track these emerging forms of hatred.
CyberWell’s framework includes four categories: denial of violent events against Jews, denial of violent events against Israelis, conspiratorial self-victimisation targeting Jews, and conspiratorial self-victimisation targeting Israelis. The researchers found that many posts fell into multiple categories at the same time. For example, claims that the October 7 Hamas massacre was a hoax were often combined with allegations that Jews staged the attack for political advantage.
The research began in November 2024 following the Amsterdam pogrom, when Israeli football supporters were chased and assaulted by an organised mob. CyberWell described this incident as a turning point, marking the first large-scale antisemitic violence in Europe after October 7 2023. Other incidents analysed included the Hamas massacre in Israel, the Capital Jewish Museum shooting in Washington, and the Molotov cocktail attack in Boulder, Colorado, targeting a solidarity march for Israeli hostages.
Across all cases, CyberWell identified a consistent pattern of denial and conspiratorial self-victimisation that researchers said helped fuel further incitement. The most common category was conspiratorial self-victimisation against Jews, accounting for 88% of the analysed posts. These narratives falsely claimed that Jews were responsible for the violence committed against them, often advancing so-called “false-flag” theories.
The report also highlighted the frequent use of the term “Zionist” as a slur. CyberWell found that the word was commonly used not to describe a political ideology, but as a substitute for “Jew” or “Israeli,” reinforcing broader antisemitic narratives while attempting to avoid explicit language.
In addition, CyberWell criticised social media platforms for failing to enforce their own hate-speech policies. The organisation found extremely low levels of moderation and a troubling trend of declining enforcement standards since October 7. According to the report, this environment allows denial and conspiracy narratives to spread unchecked to large audiences.
CyberWell concluded by calling on social media companies to strengthen their policies and tools. Recommendations included explicitly banning the denial of violent antisemitic events, prohibiting conspiratorial self-victimisation narratives, and developing better detection systems to identify and remove such content.
The organisation said that recognising and addressing these evolving forms of antisemitism is essential if online platforms and policymakers are to prevent further radicalisation and violence.
Photo credit: REUTERS/CLODAGH KILCOYNE
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