Instagram Algorithms Accused Of Driving Antisemitic Hate Merch To Massive Audiences

A new investigation by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), working together with the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), asserts that Instagram’s recommendation system is amplifying accounts that sell extremist, antisemitic, and racist products. The report, titled “Hate for Sale: How Instagram Helps Sellers of Hateful Merchandise Reach a Billion Views,” claims that just 11 such accounts amassed a combined 1.5 billion views and brought in an estimated $1.3 million in revenue.

According to the findings, released Monday, Instagram’s algorithm itself suggested every one of the identified accounts to users. The study further notes a dramatic spike in exposure; nearly a fourfold increase (3.75x) in views, for Nazi-themed and racist “hate merch” after Meta scaled back certain content moderation measures earlier this year.

The report details a range of content allegedly boosted by the platform, including praise for Nazis, Holocaust denial, attacks on Jewish people, jokes about slavery, and merchandise such as T-shirts with slogans like “Life is a race. Be a racist.” It also points to the growing use of AI-generated hateful images, which Meta is accused of failing to label consistently.

Two of the highlighted accounts reportedly recorded tens of thousands of sales, with estimated revenues of $839,700 and $499,750. The merchandise was sold through e-commerce services including Shopify, Wix, and Payhip. After CCDH alerted the platforms, Wix and Payhip removed the offending products, while the report did not specify any action taken by Shopify.

Imran Ahmed, CEO of CCDH, warned of the consequences, saying: “Instagram helps extremists make money out of antisemitism and racism. By withdrawing critical safeguards, Meta has allowed hate to flourish. Extremist content is promoted and monetized by their algorithms. Every time someone buys a shirt from one of these hate merchants, it funds more propaganda.”

Eric D. Fingerhut, President and CEO of JFNA, stressed the wider danger posed by unchecked platforms, stating: “Social media has played an outsize role in spreading hate and antisemitism… This report is an important reminder that social media companies can and should be doing a lot more to enforce their rules and keep our communities safer.”