Kanye West has been suspended from the social media app Clubhouse after making antisemitic comments during a private Q&A. The company said his statements violated community guidelines.
Toward the end of the audio chat, West says the word antisemitism “doesn’t work anymore.” He continued, “I destroyed the word.” He said it’s “too wide of a term,” and called upon members of the media to “be more specific.”
“The word antisemitic is no longer allowed to be used. It’s a stupid word,” West said and laughed.
West was cut off mid-sentence in the next moment.
Clubhouse is a social audio app for iOS and Android users that was created in April 2020. The company has battled moderation issues since its inception.
In September 2020, several reports indicated that a 369-person chatroom meant to discuss antisemitism in black communities had turned hateful.
“There’s a room on clubhouse right now that is literally just a bunch of people talking about why it’s ok to hate jews,” Sara Mauskopf, CEO of daycare startup Winnie, tweeted.
Other Twitter users shared their experiences in that chatroom. One person tweeted that they heard “Jews are the face of capitalism,” among other antisemitic statements.
In May 2021, actor LaKeith Stanfield was at the center of more Clubhouse controversy after attending a chat focused on the legacy of Louis Farrakhan, an American religious leader and antisemite conspiracy theorist. Stanfield became a sort-of moderator of the chat after the organizer’s noticed his attendance. Later, the conversation devolved into outright antisemitic rhetoric.
Stanfield himself never made antisemitic comments and denounced antisemitism later on Instagram.
Clubhouse does have community guidelines posted on its website. Antisemitism is not explicitly mentioned as prohibited behavior, but the company says hateful or discriminatory speech is not allowed covering “but is not limited to, slurs, insults, and conspiracies.”
