Instagram accounts trivialize the Holocaust

"I am shaken by this mass of Nazi content. The photographic material is Nazi propaganda that ends up online decontextualized—meaning without any explanation of what one is actually seeing. Young users are initially left completely on their own with this content."

"The SS was the central instrument of repression and terror in the Nazi state. It was chiefly responsible for the crimes committed in German concentration camps, such as Auschwitz, Majdanek and Treblinka. In the Auschwitz extermination camp alone, the Germans murdered around 1.1 to 1.5 million people—most of them Jews from across Europe, as well as Sinti and Roma, Poles, prisoners of war, political opponents and other minorities."

Instagram contains widespread accounts publishing glorifying photos of Wehrmacht and SS officers from Nazi Germany, accompanied by texts praising their bravery and strategic skill while omitting any mention of their participation in war crimes and the Holocaust. These posts reach millions of users worldwide, who respond with approval through heart and applause emojis, with no critical engagement present. DW's investigation reveals that Meta and Instagram have not adequately flagged or removed content displaying hate symbols, including SS insignia. The SS served as the central instrument of repression and terror in the Nazi state and bore primary responsibility for concentration camp atrocities including Auschwitz, where approximately 1.1 to 1.5 million people were murdered. Experts express concern that this decontextualized Nazi propaganda leaves young users vulnerable without proper historical explanation.

Read at www.dw.com