If you’ve noticed more hate online lately, you’re not imagining it. What we’re seeing isn’t just random extremism – it’s a business. Hate has become a product, packaged and sold across the internet, targeting Jews, women, Black communities, and many others. And it’s making money. From cryptocurrencies to YouTube ads, extremists are cashing in while tech companies look away. A recent NBC News investigation revealed just how widespread this “hate-for-profit” pipeline has become – what was once fringe is now mainstream, reaching millions and endangering communities like ours.
Hate as a Money-Making Pipeline
The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) warned that hate has morphed into a full-fledged business model. Crypto-coins of hate: Extremists have launched coins glorifying murderers and violent attacks – with global reach and almost no oversight. Crowdfunding campaigns: Accused racists and extremists are raising hundreds of thousands of dollars online, often framed as “support” but fueling more hate. Youth-targeted platforms: Neo-Nazis are selling merchandise, streaming content, and recruiting on sites like Roblox and Instagram.
As Adam Katz, president of FCAS, explains: “We’re seeing significantly more activity today than a year ago – even just a few months ago.” In other words: hate pays, and people are copying what works. It doesn’t stop there. The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) recently showed that even banned figures like Andrew Tate continue to rake in millions of YouTube views – and ad revenue. Extremism has found ways to profit everywhere people gather online.
How Tech Giants Are Fueling the Fire
This didn’t happen in a vacuum. Tech companies have quietly scaled back their moderation efforts. A few years ago, platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter faced real pressure to crack down on hate speech. Presently, that pressure has evaporated. Instead of safety, profit comes first. One of the turning points was when Elon Musk took over Twitter (now X). Banned extremists were reinstated. Ads appeared alongside Nazi content. And when watchdog groups like Media Matters called attention to the problem, the platform sued them instead of fixing it. On top of that, extremists are now using AI to supercharge their propaganda – creating more convincing content, faster, and harder to detect. Young audiences are being targeted, and social platforms are letting it happen.
Why This Matters for Fighting Antisemitism
For Jewish communities, this isn’t hypothetical. Antisemitism is now a profitable industry. Antisemitic lies are being packaged as content and monetized. Platforms that put profit before people are giving this content oxygen, allowing it to spread wider, faster, and more dangerously. The Financial Action Task Force confirmed what we have long been saying: gaps in global regulation allow extremists to keep raising and moving money online.
As extremism researcher Megan Squire explains: “It’s like breathing air to them. They would be nowhere without this technology.”
We see this digital battlefield up close. Our volunteers report antisemitic content every single day. Our team is hard at work desining improved AI tools to detect and disrupt hate. But as the fight is growing – and so is the industry of hate.
What We Can Do: Don’t Let Hate Pay
We can’t allow hate to become a paycheck. Stopping this profit machine means action on every level:
✔ Platforms must reinvest in moderation.
✔ Governments must close loopholes in crypto and crowdfunding.
✔ Communities like ours must hold tech accountable – and refuse to stay silent.
At FOA, we’re fighting back every day. But we need you with us.
👉 Here’s how you can help:
- Support our volunteer training programs to report antisemitic content.
- Help fund our AI systems that detect hate at scale.
- Join our Online Activist Bootcamps to learn how to make an impact.
- The cost of inaction is too high. Together, we can disrupt the business of hate and protect our communities.