Parler, the libertarian or right-leaning social media platform calling itself the “anti-Twitter,” accused the social media giant of locking accounts of Jewish users for displaying profile pictures featuring the Star of David. While holding back from openly and directly accusing Twitter of antisemitism, Parler did question the motives of Twitter’s sanctions.
Citing reports by media outlets such as the Jerusalem Post, Parler inferred Twitter believes accounts featuring the Star of David display “hateful imagery” and violate the social media platform’s legal Terms of Service. The official remarks insist Parler will never take such actions and will “voice its support for users displaying the Star of David, as well as other religious symbols, as symbols of love.”
Social media platform Parler accused rival Twitter of censoring profile photos that featured the ... [+]
According to the cited Jerusalem Post report, owners of locked accounts received the following message from Twitter: “We have determined that this account violated the Twitter Rules. Specifically for: Violating our rules against posting hateful imagery. You may not use hateful images or symbols in your profile image or profile header. As a result, we have locked your account."
The Twitter message adds that blocked users will regain access if they delete the banned imagery. The images in included a white Star of David in a graffiti style and representations of the yellow Star Nazis forced Jews to wear during World War II.
According to Parler Strategic investor Jeffrey Wernick, Twitter’s blocking of accounts using the Star of David amounts to a form of antisemitism.
“For me as a Jew, it symbolizes my love for Judaism, which does not conflict in any way with my love for my nation and my love for humanity,” Wernick says. “To designate it, if the allegations are true, as a hateful image, is not only an act of hate but also likely libelous and slanderous. The desire to remove a symbol of my Jewish identity as “hateful imagery” is, to me, no different from the desire to remove me as hateful just because I am Jewish.”
Citing some uses of the Star of David as hateful imagery, Twitter blocked disputed accounts until ... [+]
The Parler news statement citing the removal of the Judaic symbols never openly and directly accuses Twitter of outright antisemitism. In fact, the term appears only in the subject line of the original press release (”Antisemitism at Twitter?”) and nowhere in the document’s text.
Neither Parler nor the Jerusalem Post report explore the possibility that imagery of the yellow Holocaust Star could be interpreted as an antisemitic symbol in itself, depending on its interpretation. Meanwhile, the hashtag #killalljews and #JewishPrivilege remain searchable on Twitter.
