In the lawsuit, filed in a New York court, Marc J. Strohl, 59, claims that LinkedIn removed his account after he consistently reported antisemitic posts. He describes this practice as suppressive, reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
Strohl alleges that his removal from the platform harmed his business, which he has run for 25 years, and damaged his professional reputation. Since his account was taken down, he says he has received fewer client inquiries. He is seeking compensation for the damage to his business and reputation, as well as for the emotional distress caused by exposure to antisemitic content. Strohl is also demanding that LinkedIn reinstate his account.
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According to the lawsuit, LinkedIn initially removed Strohl's profile for violating the company's terms of service but did not specify the alleged violation. Strohl appealed the decision on October 19, 2024, and was told the restriction was due to an “automatic/algorithmic error” that was later reversed after human intervention. However, later that month, LinkedIn informed Strohl that his profile would be permanently restricted without further explanation or the option to appeal.
Fighting hate then banned
Strohl, who was born in New York, has deep ties to Israel – his wife is Israeli, and their two daughters hold dual citizenship. He describes himself as a "proud Zionist" and has used LinkedIn for years to promote his business, where he had around 14,000 followers.
Before October 7, 2023, Strohl had reported what he described as “antisemitic and anti-Israel hate-filled posts” in line with LinkedIn's guidelines. After the October 7 attacks, he says such posts increased, along with his reports.
Among the offensive posts were statements like "Death to Israel," "Jews are a cruel and heartless species that must be eradicated," and "Another Hitler is needed for the Jews." Some conspiracy posts even accused Israel of creating the COVID-19 virus, turning the U.S. into a Jewish colony, and controlling the world through loans and economic gains.
In an interview with Ynet, Strohl shared his frustration with the LinkedIn platform. “I felt that the platform was treating me with selective enforcement simply because I am Jewish and a Zionist who publicly supports Israel – a country with the right to defend itself against terrorism and not to constantly suffer from antisemitism disguised as anti-Zionism or criticism of its actions.”
Strohl further claims that he is not alone in facing this issue. He asserts that other Jewish and pro-Israel users have experienced similar account restrictions. He argues that LinkedIn’s actions harm the ability of himself and others to express support for Israel and report antisemitism without fear of suspension.