The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) lists Libs of TikTok and the account owner Chaya Raichik in its “Glossary of Extremism.” Raichik threatened to sue the ADL unless it removes the “defamatory entry” before October 31.
“Libs of TikTok is a popular anti-LGBTQ+ twitter account operated by former real estate agent Chaya Raichik,” the ADL’s Glossary of Extremism entry states.
“The account, which has over 1.3 million followers as of August 2022, attempts to generate outrage and stoke anti-LGBTQ+ hostility by reposting selected out-of-context social media content created by LGBTQ+ people and liberals,” the ADL entry continues. “The individuals, events and organizations targeted by the account are frequent targets of harassment, threats and violence.”
Raichik announced her willingness to sue on Twitter and tagged the ADL CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt.
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I’m calling on the @ADL to immediately remove my name from their ‘Glossary of Extremism,’” Raichik wrote. “Not only have they defamed me, they also lumped me in with terrorist organizations like Hamas. They have until Oct 31st to remove this defamatory entry before I’m forced to take more action.”
A spokesperson for the ADL acknowledged Raichik’s threat of legal action.
“We are aware of her demands and are investigating, but we do not comment on matters regarding actual or threatened litigation,” the spokesperson told the Advocate, a publication dedicated to LGBT-related topics.
The ADL launched the “Glossary of Extremism” in March, 2022 to provide an online database with “comprehensive definitions of commonly known and more obscure terms employed by a variety of groups and movements across the extremism landscape.”
Entries in the ADL’s Glossary of Extremism include the Taliban, al Qaeda, the Klu Klux Klan, and the American Nazi Party.
“Many extremist groups have developed their own nomenclature and language to communicate, and the public is often not familiar with many of the terms they and their followers are using,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO said when the database was launched. “This glossary pulls back the curtain to reveal the meaning behind these names and concepts, giving the public, the media and law enforcement insight into hundreds of terms, ideologies and conspiracy theories embraced by domestic extremists. It also provides a Who’s Who of the key figures involved in spreading hate.”
The Libs of TikTok Twitter account has over 2.6 million followers.