Advertisement

The Echo: Chrome Browser And ADL Take Action On Anti-Jewish Symbol

09:25
Download Audio
Resume
The echo symbol. (Here & Now)
The echo symbol. (Here & Now)

The Anti-Defamation League has added the Echo symbol -- a series of three brackets placed before and after a Jewish name -- to its database of hate speech. The symbol has emerged on social media on sites used by white supremacist and other anti-Semitic groups who aim to identify and target Jews, particularly journalists, politicians and celebrities.

The move by the ADL comes a week after Google’s popular Chrome browser removed a plug-in that could create the symbol in a single keystroke. The written symbol seems to have been created after a 2014 podcast broadcast a literal echo sound when speaking Jewish names.

The story gained public attention following an article by New York Times editor Jonathan Weisman, who then became a target of the symbol. Here & Now's Robin Young talks to ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt about the symbol and its significance.

Guest

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO, Anti Defamation League. He tweets @jgreenblattADL.

This segment aired on June 14, 2016.

Advertisement

More from Here & Now

Listen Live
Close