I was scrolling through my feed recently and came across something that genuinely stopped me in my tracks. The Anti-Defamation League just dropped its 2026 report on antisemitism in online spaces, and for the first time, it included major video games. The findings? Honestly, it's pretty disappointing and more than a little alarming. Some of the biggest titles we all play are getting failing grades when it comes to tackling hate speech and Holocaust denial on their platforms. It really makes you think about the digital spaces we spend so much time in and what's being allowed to fester there.

😳 The 2026 ADL Report Card: Who Flunked?

The ADL gave out grades, and let's just say the dean's list is looking pretty empty. The biggest shock for me was seeing Fortnite at the very bottom of the class with a big, fat F. That's the lowest score of all the games and services they looked at. According to the report, Fortnite completely failed to address reports of Holocaust denial across every part of its platform. They were even ranked below Call of Duty and League of Legends, which is saying something.

Speaking of Call of Duty, Activision Blizzard didn't cover itself in glory either, scraping by with a D-. The main criticisms were the lack of a clear, explicit policy against Holocaust denial and a failure to respond to regular user complaints in a timely way. It's 2026, and these massive companies with billions in revenue are getting report cards like they're in grade school for basic decency. Wild.

🤔 What Does the Hate Actually Look Like In-Game?

The ADL report shared some concrete examples of what they found, and it's not subtle. On platforms like Fortnite, League of Legends, and Call of Duty, the antisemitism primarily showed up in player usernames. We're talking about names that featured:

• Hateful slurs targeting Jewish people.

• Blatant Holocaust denial, like usernames incorporating the term "Holohoax."

It's not some complex, hard-to-detect code. This is overt, hateful language that should be relatively easy for automated filters or moderation teams to catch and act upon. The fact that it's so prevalent suggests a major breakdown in enforcement.

One chilling line from the report really stuck with me: "Holocaust deniers have used social media and game platforms to spread their virulent ideas and garner support." It's a stark reminder that these aren't just "edgy" usernames; they're part of a broader, dangerous effort to normalize hate.

🟢 A Glimmer of Hope? The Roblox Turnaround Story

It wasn't all bad news, though! The report highlighted Roblox as a real success story. Back in the 2021 report, Roblox had major issues. Users were easily bypassing moderation to post content that encouraged destroying synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship. Fast forward to 2026, and that's no longer the case. The platform apparently took the criticism seriously, overhauled its systems, and made significant improvements. It proves that change is possible when companies decide to prioritize the safety and dignity of their players.

This contrast makes the failures of other platforms even more frustrating. The blueprint for improvement exists!

⚖️ The Core Problem: Policy vs. Practice

Here's a key issue the ADL pinpointed: None of the games in the 2026 report had an explicit, stand-alone policy against Holocaust denial.

Now, technically, this kind of hate speech should fall under general rules against harassment and hateful conduct. But the absence of a specific policy sends a vague message. It creates gray areas and puts the onus on users to report, often without clear guidelines. The report makes it clear: it's not just about having rules on paper; it's about consistently enforcing them.

The ADL's experiment showed this gap perfectly. When testers reported offensive usernames, League of Legends was the only one of the three major games that actually responded and took action. Fortnite and Call of Duty? Radio silence. If average players report hate and get ignored, what's the point of having a reporting system at all?

✍️ My Final Thoughts & What Needs to Happen

As someone who loves gaming, this report is a sobering read. Our virtual playgrounds should be spaces for fun, competition, and community—not breeding grounds for historical denial and hate.

Here’s what I think needs to change, like, yesterday:

1. Explicit Policies: Every major gaming platform needs to explicitly ban Holocaust denial and antisemitic tropes in their Terms of Service. No more hiding behind vague "hate speech" clauses.

2. Proactive Moderation: Relying solely on user reports isn't enough. Companies need to invest in better AI tools and human moderation teams to proactively find and remove this content.

3. Transparent Action: When action is taken, platforms should be more transparent about it (while respecting privacy). It builds trust with the community.

4. Learn from Success: Other games need to look at Roblox's turnaround and ask, "What can we implement?"

The ball is now in the court of Epic Games (Fortnite), Activision Blizzard (Call of Duty), and others. It remains to be seen if they'll just ignore this report or finally step up. As players, we should expect—and demand—better. Our voices matter, and we shouldn't have to play in spaces where this kind of hate is given a free pass.

What do you guys think? Have you encountered this kind of thing in your games? Let's chat in the comments 👇