Austrian Federal Minister for the EU and Constitution, Karoline Edtstadler, together with the President of the Jewish Community of Vienna (IKG) Oskar Deutsch, unveiled a new set of measures aimed at combating online antisemitism.
The 2022 “Austria National Strategy against Antisemitism” will be bolstered by a comprehensive package of measures comprising 15 sub-points, specifically targeting the digital sphere. Online platforms will face increased accountability, while the promotion of AI-based systems for identifying and countering antisemitic propaganda will be prioritised.
The government plans to organise a dedicated summit to address online antisemitism, with active participation from the Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications (KommAustria), tasked with enforcing the Digital Services Act (DSA) aimed at imposing stricter regulations on major internet platforms.
Moreover, online platforms and search engines will be seamlessly integrated into existing federal-level initiatives, including the National Forum against Antisemitism and the Task Force against Online Antisemitism.
In addition, efforts will be directed towards strengthening civil society resilience. This will involve launching a media campaign focusing on antisemitism and its online ramifications, with collaborative efforts sought from both social and traditional media outlets, as well as civil society organisations.
