EU Commission Hosted TikkunTech Hackathon in Brussels
The two-day event brought together 120 participants to develop digital tools aimed at combating online antisemitism.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Judaism
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The European Commission recently hosted the TikkunTech hackathon in Brussels, bringing together 120 experts and officials to develop new solutions for online content moderation. The initiative focused on reducing antisemitic bias in artificial intelligence models.
Why it matters
This initiative seeks to address the growing challenge of digital antisemitism by leveraging technology to improve moderation standards. Inspired by the Jewish principle of Tikkun Olam, the event aimed to create practical digital tools to foster safer online environments.
The two-day TikkunTech hackathon involved over 120 participants, including technology specialists and government officials. The event focused on creating digital tools to mitigate bias in AI and improve moderation of online content.
The players
European Commission
The executive branch of the European Union responsible for proposing legislation and implementing decisions.
Katharina von Schnurbein
She serves as the European Commission coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.
Magnus Brunner
He is a prominent European political official who participated in the event to recognize the winning teams.
The details
Teams collaborated to build software solutions while AI ethics experts concurrently tested existing models for latent antisemitic biases. Katharina von Schnurbein led the project assessments, and Magnus Brunner presented awards to the developers behind the most effective prototypes.
Timeline
The two-day TikkunTech hackathon occurred on September 28-29, 2026.
The broader EU Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life runs from 2021-2030.
Culture Shift
The TikkunTech event marks a concrete implementation phase within the framework of the EU Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life 2021-2030. This signals a broader shift toward using specialized hackathons to tackle complex social issues rather than relying solely on traditional regulation.
As new moderation tools are developed and deployed, digital platforms may implement updated filters that directly alter the type of content users encounter. These advancements aim to reduce the prevalence of hate speech, creating a different moderation experience for global social media users.
The takeaway
This event demonstrates how interdisciplinary collaboration can translate ethical principles into functional digital safety features. Readers can advocate for similar transparency and bias-testing standards when using public or private AI services.
Further reading
For more information on religious advocacy and community initiatives, explore the Judaism section.
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Should technology companies be required to implement stronger AI filters to block hate speech?
