In response to a significant rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a comprehensive plan to address these growing concerns. The initiative comes in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has sparked a 400% increase in online threats, according to a post by Governor Hochul.

Since October 7, we’ve seen a 400% increase in online antisemitic & Islamophobic threats. New York will not sit idly by.

Join me live as I announce a new four-pillar plan to keep New Yorkers safe from extremism & violence: https://t.co/f5Ca0seZvr

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) November 21, 2023

Governor Hochul's strategy involves introducing "media literacy tools" in public schools from kindergarten through twelvth grade. This curriculum is designed to help students identify and understand misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories, and online hate.

The governor emphasized the importance of equipping teachers with the necessary resources to facilitate these critical discussions in schools.

Additionally, the plan includes funding for college campuses to establish threat assessment and management teams. These teams will monitor and respond to threats, with a particular focus on preventing hate speech and violent behavior. The initiative also involves television advertisements aimed at educating parents about signs of hate speech engagement among children.

Governor Hochul has called upon social media companies to take a more active role in moderating hateful content. She specifically mentioned TikTok's recent failure to adequately police content that praised Osama bin Laden and his post-9/11 "Letter to America."

Clarifying the role of online threat assessment teams, Governor Hochul assured that their focus is solely on identifying and intervening in cases of hateful behavior, without infringing on individuals' privacy or political views.

In light of the upcoming Thanksgiving parade in New York City, the governor's office announced enhanced security measures and ongoing online monitoring of threats. While no credible major threats have been identified, the increased security presence aims to ensure public safety during the event.