Section 06

Digital Strategy & Security

Social media is where narratives are won and lost. Learn to protect yourself, tell your story, and counter antisemitism online — safely and effectively.

Wellbeing ResourcesTake Action

Threat Landscape

The Online Threat Dashboard

1 Active Critical Threats

Strategy

Social Media Strategy

Effective social media strategy is about more than posting — it's about building a narrative that shapes how your campus community understands antisemitism and Jewish identity. The goal is not to win every argument, but to build empathy, share your humanity, and make it harder for antisemitic narratives to go unchallenged.

Build a Positive Narrative

  • Showcase the richness and diversity of Jewish campus life
  • Share personal stories that humanize your experience
  • Highlight interfaith partnerships and allyship moments
  • Celebrate Jewish culture, holidays, and achievements
  • Feature diverse Jewish voices — different backgrounds, denominations, politics

Create Shareable Content

  • Use carousel format for educational content — high save rates
  • Keep video hooks under 3 seconds for TikTok and Reels
  • Include clear calls to action: "Share if you agree" or "Tag an ally"
  • Design infographics with a single, striking statistic
  • Pair personal stories with a compelling visual or photo

Engage Allies Effectively

  • Thank allies publicly when they amplify your message
  • Co-create content with allied organizations and communities
  • Focus on shared values: justice, safety, equality for all
  • Avoid gatekeeping — welcome all genuine supporters
  • Build a private group chat with committed allies for rapid response

Don't Feed the Trolls

  • Never engage with anonymous accounts that exist solely to harass
  • Don't screenshot and amplify hate — it gives it a bigger platform
  • Block and report instead of arguing with bad-faith actors
  • Use the "mute" feature for harassment that isn't worth a block
  • Save your energy for persuadable audiences, not entrenched haters

Platform Strategy

Instagram

Share personal stories, campus life, and educational infographics. Use Stories for rapid response. Build community through authentic content.

  • Carousel posts perform best for educational content
  • Use Reels for short, impactful messages
  • Collaborate with allied accounts for cross-promotion

TikTok

Short-form video to reach Gen Z. Counter-narrative content, myth-busting, and showing the human side of Jewish campus life.

  • Hook viewers in first 2 seconds with a bold statement
  • Use trending sounds to boost algorithmic reach
  • Respond to antisemitic trends quickly before they go viral

X (Twitter)

Real-time engagement, amplifying allies, and rapid response. Thread format for explaining complex issues clearly.

  • Quote-tweet antisemitic posts with factual corrections
  • Build a network of Jewish voices to amplify each other
  • Use hashtags strategically — they organize movements

YouTube

Long-form educational content, campus event recordings, and documentary-style storytelling that builds deep understanding.

  • Optimize titles and thumbnails for discoverability
  • Create playlists organized by topic for binge-watching
  • Engage in comments to build a loyal community

Defense

Countering Online Antisemitism

Online antisemitism ranges from subtle dog whistles to explicit hate speech. Knowing how to respond effectively — and when not to — can mean the difference between shutting down hate and amplifying it.

Reporting Effectively

  • Use the specific "hate speech" or "promoting violence" report categories
  • Report from multiple accounts — volume triggers faster review
  • When possible, report the specific post, not just the account
  • Screenshot everything before reporting — posts can be deleted during review
  • Use the IHRA definition of antisemitism when documenting for legal purposes

Documenting Harassment

  • Take full-page screenshots with URL and timestamp visible
  • Use screen recording for ephemeral content (Stories, live streams)
  • Save screenshots to a secure cloud folder, not just your phone
  • Create a running log: date, platform, content, reporter, witnesses
  • Archive web pages using archive.org or archive.today for permanence

Working With Platforms

  • Meta, TikTok, and X all have trust and safety teams that respond to formal complaints.
  • Partner with ADL or StopAntisemitism.org to file escalated reports.
  • Use the appeal process when initial reports are rejected — humans review appeals.
  • Contact your university's communications office to request official platform complaints.
  • Keep records of all reports and their outcomes for potential legal action.

Engage vs. Ignore

  • Engage when: the audience is persuadable, the post is gaining traction, or silence would be misread as agreement.
  • Ignore when: the account is anonymous/trollish, engagement would amplify the hate, or your mental health needs a break.
  • Consider private outreach before public confrontation when the poster may be genuinely unaware of the harm.
  • Coordinate with your community before responding to viral antisemitic content — unified responses are more effective.

Create

Content Creation Guide

Great content builds empathy, corrects misinformation, and puts a human face on the Jewish campus experience. Here are frameworks for creating content that resonates.

Educational Infographics

Visual content that teaches a single concept clearly and concisely. Best for Instagram carousels and shareable posts.

Tips

  • One idea per slide — keep text under 30 words per image
  • Use a bold statistic or question as the hook on slide 1
  • Include your source on the last slide for credibility
  • Use brand colors consistently to build recognition

Example

Slide 1: "Did you know?" with a bold statistic. Slides 2-4: Explanation with simple graphics. Slide 5: "Share to spread awareness" with source citation.

Personal Story Videos

First-person accounts that humanize the issue. Most effective on TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Tips

  • Start with the most compelling moment — "I was told I couldn't join because I'm Jewish"
  • Keep it under 60 seconds for maximum reach
  • Speak directly to camera with natural lighting
  • End with a call to action or emotional resolution

Example

"I'm a junior at [University]. Last semester, I was asked to leave a study group when they found out I'd visited Israel. This is what campus antisemitism looks like in 2026."

Fact-Checking Resources

Quick-hit content that counters viral misinformation with credible sources. Great for X threads and Instagram Stories.

Tips

  • Lead with the myth, then the fact — "MYTH: ... FACT: ..."
  • Include links to primary sources and reputable outlets
  • Use screenshots of the false claim alongside the correction
  • Make it easy to share — standalone graphics work best

Example

MYTH: "Jews control the media." FACT: Jewish people work in media at rates similar to other professions. This trope has been used to justify antisemitism for over a century. Sources: [ADL, Holocaust Museum]

Building a Positive Jewish Presence

Showcase the beauty, diversity, and warmth of Jewish life on campus. Counter hate with joy, not just defense.

Tips

  • Share Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, and cultural events
  • Feature Jewish students from diverse backgrounds and traditions
  • Highlight interfaith moments and community service
  • Celebrate Jewish achievements in academics, arts, and athletics

Example

A carousel of Shabbat dinner photos with the caption: "Every Friday night, 50 students gather for challah, candles, and community. This is what Jewish campus life looks like."

Rapid Response Protocol

When antisemitic content goes viral on campus social media, a coordinated response within the first 24 hours is critical. Use this protocol:

1

Monitor

Set up Google Alerts for your university + antisemitism keywords. Follow campus accounts, student newspapers, and anonymous confession pages.

2

Assess

Is this a real threat or online trolling? Evaluate: how much reach does it have? Is it targeting specific students? Will engaging help or amplify the hate?

3

Coordinate

Alert your Hillel social media team, campus leadership, and allied organizations before responding publicly. Agree on messaging and roles.

4

Respond

Use pre-approved templates. Be factual, calm, and human. Avoid inflammatory language. Focus on the impact on students, not abstract debates.

5

Amplify

Share your response across your network. Get allies to amplify. Contact campus media. Submit op-eds to the student newspaper if appropriate.

6

Document

Screenshot everything — the original post, your response, and any engagement. Save for potential legal complaints or institutional accountability.

1B+
Did You Know?

More than one billion antisemitic posts have been documented on social media since October 2023. The feed is not neutral — it is a battlefield.

Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism, Online Antisemitism Report, 2024. adl.org.