In response to a recent surge of antisemitic content and misinformation on TikTok following the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7th, a group of Jewish celebrities and influencers met with executives of the video-sharing app to express their concerns. The meeting, which took place on November 15th, included more than 30 participants, including actors Sacha Baron Cohen, Amy Schumer, and Debra Messing.

According to audio recordings obtained from the meeting, Sacha Baron Cohen passionately addressed the executives, stating, "What is happening at TikTok is, it is creating the biggest antisemitic movement since the Nazis. Shame on you." He further emphasized the impact of early exposure to hateful imagery, stating that it contributed to the violence carried out by Hamas.

Debra Messing questioned TikTok's handling of the phrase "from the river to the sea," which many interpret as a call for the extermination of Israel. Messing suggested that it would be more responsible for TikTok to block the phrase to prevent further dissemination of hate. She expressed her disappointment with the platform, stating, "You also are the main platform for the dissemination of Jew hate."

TikTok's head of operations, Adam Presser, acknowledged the concerns raised by the participants and admitted that the platform could improve. "We can do better," Presser stated during the call. He acknowledged the devastating impact that the rise of antisemitic content has had on the TikTok community.

Despite repeated attempts to reach TikTok for comment on the meeting, there has been no response from the company. The meeting was a significant development following an open letter signed by 43 Jewish celebrities and influencers, including Schumer and Messing. The letter called out TikTok for lacking critical safety features to protect Jewish content creators and the broader Jewish TikTok community.

In addition to the surge of antisemitic content, TikTok has also faced criticism for allowing videos promoting Osama bin Laden's 2002 "Letter to America." TikTok responded by blocking the associated hashtag and aggressively removing related content, although they claimed that the number of videos was relatively small.

TikTok released a blog post addressing the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, stating that it is actively responding to the situation and countering misinformation. The platform emphasized that the number of videos associated with a particular hashtag does not always provide sufficient context. They also assured users that the content recommendations on TikTok are generated based on previous engagement and that the platform does not promote one side of an issue over another.

TikTok has taken steps to tackle the issue of fake accounts and engagement. Since the October 7th attack, the company reported removing over 24 million fake accounts globally and more than 500,000 "bot comments" related to the conflict.

Moving forward, TikTok expressed its commitment to platform safety and welcomed open dialogue with the community, civil society, and non-profit organizations. The company aims to protect its community while continuing to provide a space for authentic self-expression.

As concerns about antisemitic content on TikTok continue to grow, the meeting between Jewish celebrities, influencers, and TikTok executives represents a crucial step in addressing the issue and ensuring a safer online environment.