Lev Topor’s keynote accompanies the international conference "Confronting Holocaust Distortion in the Digital Era."

Holocaust denial has always adapted to new mediums of communication, from printed pamphlets to forums and encrypted channels, and even dark web sites. In recent years, digital anonymity provided “cloaks” that allowed denial and distortion to flourish in hidden online spaces. Today, however, a more transformative challenge is emerging: the use of artificial intelligence to generate, amplify, and normalize denialist narratives at scale. AI tools not only accelerate the production of fabricated texts, images, and videos but also personalize and algorithmically target these distortions in ways that were unimaginable a decade ago. Furthermore, those who find it in places like the dark web often assume it is “authentic” and real, due to the “red pill” effect.

This keynote will trace the evolution of digital Holocaust distortion from the hidden corners of online forums to the age of generative AI. It will show how anonymity, automation, and algorithmic amplification have combined to create a new ecosystem of denial, one where fact and fiction are increasingly blurred. Drawing on case studies of anonymous platforms, bot-driven networks, AI-generated disinformation, and even crowdfunding with cryptocurrencies, I argue that confronting Holocaust distortion in the digital era requires both new regulatory frameworks and a renewed commitment to historical truth. Ultimately, the struggle against denial is not only about memory, but also about safeguarding the integrity of information itself in an age of technological disruption.