When I first saw it, I genuinely assumed it was satire about Web Summit, not something actually in Web Summit.
But it’s real. It’s on the official schedule.
And it raises a very simple question:
Why is Web Summit giving a stage to Tadhg Hickey?
Tadhg Hickey isn’t some random open-mic comic with a few spicy takes.
He’s a public figure whose online output includes:
Repeatedly calling for the destruction of the State of Israel
Jubiliating as IDF soldiers are killed and citizens in Tel Aviv come under rocket fire
Crude antisemitic sketches and commentary bursting at the seams with just about every trope in the playbook ranging from Zionist control of the media through to - yes - allegations of organ harvesting
You don’t have to agree with my assessment. You don’t even have to like Israel.
But if Web Summit genuinely cares about “zero tolerance” for content that promotes violence or hatred, Hickey’s body of work is not some marginal, hard-to-interpret edge case.
It’s the opposite: loud, repeated, public.
The sponsors who are standing next to this
Web Summit isn’t a fringe meetup in a bar. It brands itself as “where the tech world meets” and likes to boast about who shows up.
This year's partner list includes a who's-who of some of the most established names in tech, including: IBM, Huawei, Groq, and others.
These are companies that love to talk about ethics, inclusion, DEI, safety, AI alignment, human rights, and every other value-laden buzzword you can fit on a slide deck.
So here’s the awkward alignment question:
Are these brands comfortable sharing a platform with someone who has built part of his online persona on mocking, dehumanising, and delegitimising Israelis and the Jewish state?
If yes, then that’s a choice. Own it.
If no, then why are they sponsoring an event that is giving him a dedicated slot on stage?
Web Summit’s own rules… for everyone else
Web Summit’s anti-harassment policy is very clear in theory.
They say they have “zero tolerance” for:
Content that promotes or advocates violence
Harassment or targeting of protected groups
Hate speech and incitement
Strong words. Good words.
Now compare that with Hickey’s feed and output over the last few years. This is not a one-off bad joke, a stray tweet from 2012, or a single out-of-context clip. It’s a pattern.
If Web Summit is serious about its own policy, somebody should have asked at least three extremely basic questions:
Has this speaker repeatedly used dehumanising language about Israelis and/or Jews?
Have they appeared to celebrate or justify violence against Israelis?
Is platforming them compatible with our “zero tolerance” claim?
If the answer to any of those is “yes”, then you either:
You don’t get to slap “zero tolerance” on the website and then shrug when it’s inconvenient.
.
200+ Reasons Hickey Should NOT Be Platformed!
If you'd like to keep a copy of these screenshots, here are archive links.
Conspiracy TheoriesDecontextualizationDisinformation
Tweet: May 26, 2024
Antisemitic TropesBlood LibelCollective Vilification
Tweet: Jul 30, 2024
General HateIncitementThreat Rhetoric
Tweet: Apr 21, 2025
Anti-ZionistCollective VilificationExplicit Antisemitism
Tweet: May 15, 2025
Eliminationist RhetoricExtremismIncitement
Tweet: May 17, 2025
Extremism
Tweet: Jun 14, 2025
Extremist SupportIranMeta Documentation
Tweet: Jun 16, 2025
Belittling Israeli SufferingDehumanizationExplicit Antisemitism
Tweet: Jun 19, 2025
IncitementInflammatory LanguageIran
Tweet: Jun 21, 2025
Belittling Israeli SufferingGeneral HateInflammatory Language
Tweet: Jun 21, 2025
DehumanizationExtremismIncitement
Tweet: Jun 22, 2025
Collective VilificationExplicit AntisemitismExtremism
Tweet: Jun 23, 2025
Celebrating ViolenceExtremist SupportInflammatory Language
Tweet: Jun 23, 2025
Celebrating ViolenceExtremismIncitement
Tweet: Jun 29, 2025
HamasTerrorist Support
Tweet: Jun 30, 2025
Terrorist Glorification
Tweet: Jul 7, 2025
Celebrating KillingCelebrating ViolenceDehumanization
Tweet: Jul 10, 2025
Celebrating KillingCollective VilificationDehumanization
Tweet: Jul 10, 2025
ExtremismIncitementInflammatory Language
Tweet: Jul 10, 2025
Anti-ZionistEliminationist RhetoricExplicit Antisemitism
Tweet: Aug 4, 2025
DelegitimizationDenies Israel ExistenceEliminationist Rhetoric
Tweet: Aug 25, 2025
Atrocity JustificationDecontextualizationDisinformation
Atrocity JustificationDisinformationExtremism
Bad Faith ArgumentsHostage RhetoricInflammatory Language
Collective VilificationColonialist RhetoricDehumanization
DecontextualizationDisinformationEliminationist Rhetoric
Anti-ZionistExplicit Antisemitism
Bad Faith ArgumentsCollective VilificationColonialist Rhetoric
Belittling Israeli SufferingCelebrating ViolenceMockery
Bad Faith ArgumentsDelegitimizationDenies Israel Existence
Belittling Israeli SufferingGeneral HateInflammatory Language
Antisemitic TropesCollective VilificationExplicit Antisemitism
Belittling Israeli SufferingCelebrating ViolenceIran
Anti AmericanAtrocity JustificationBad Faith Arguments
DelegitimizationDenies Israel ExistenceEliminationist Rhetoric
Collective VilificationDenies Israel ExistenceEliminationist Rhetoric
Celebrating ViolenceDecontextualizationExtremism
Antisemitism DenialInflammatory LanguageMockery
Denies Israel ExistenceGeneral HateIncitement
Collective VilificationColonialist RhetoricDehumanization
ExtremismInflammatory LanguageIntifada Support
Anti AmericanExtremist SupportIncitement
Collective VilificationDehumanizationExplicit Antisemitism
DehumanizationHostage RhetoricMockery
Bad Faith ArgumentsDenies Israel ExistenceMockery
DehumanizationDisinformationGeneral Hate
Antisemitic TropesCollective VilificationInflammatory Language
Anti AmericanAntisemitic TropesConspiracy Theories
Antisemitism DenialAnti-ZionistCollective Vilification
Anti BritishAntisemitic TropesDehumanization
DisinformationHamasInflammatory Language
ExtremismGenocidal LanguageInflammatory Language
Anti-ZionistCollective VilificationExplicit Antisemitism
Body ShamingGeneral Harassment
Antisemitic TropesAnti-ZionistCollective Vilification
Antisemitism Denial
Anti-ZionistDisinformationExplicit Antisemitism
Anti-ZionistCollective VilificationGeneral Hate
Antisemitic TropesCollective VilificationConspiracy Theories
Antisemitic TropesBlood LibelCollective Vilification
Antisemitic TropesCollective VilificationConspiracy Theories
DecontextualizationDelegitimizationDenies Israel Existence
Antisemitic TropesBad Faith ArgumentsDecontextualization
Antisemitic TropesConspiracy TheoriesDisinformation
Video
Antisemitism DenialBad Faith ArgumentsDecontextualization
Antisemitism DenialCelebrating ViolenceDehumanization
Celebrating KillingExtremismIncitement
Bad Faith ArgumentsDecontextualizationDelegitimization
Explicit AntisemitismExtremismIncitement
Collective VilificationColonialist RhetoricDehumanization
Bad Faith ArgumentsDisinformationHostage Rhetoric
Belittling Israeli SufferingDecontextualizationDelegitimization
Aspirational TerrorismExtremist SupportYemens Houthis
ExtremismIncitementInflammatory Language
Extremist SupportInflammatory LanguageYemens Houthis
Belittling Israeli SufferingCelebrating ViolenceMockery
Antisemitic TropesBad Faith ArgumentsConspiracy Theories
Meta Documentation
DisinformationExtremist SupportHizbullah
AssociationsExtremist SupportTerrorist Glorification
Extremist SupportHizbullahIran
Celebrating ViolenceExtremist SupportHamas
DehumanizationGeneral HateInflammatory Language
Collective VilificationDehumanizationDenies Israel Existence
Collective VilificationDelegitimizationDisinformation
Iran IrgcMockeryOct7 Denialism
Anti-ZionistCollective VilificationDisinformation
Explicit AntisemitismGeneral HateInflammatory Language
Antisemitic TropesCollective VilificationExplicit Antisemitism
Collective VilificationColonialist RhetoricExtremist Support
Collective VilificationDehumanizationMockery
Antisemitism Denial
Antisemitic Tropes
Violence Support
Conspiracy Theories
Eliminationist Rhetoric
Explicit Antisemitism
Terrorist Support
Hostage Rhetoric
Collective VilificationGeneral Hate
Terrorist Support
Disinformation
Jewishsupremacism
Collective VilificationDehumanization
Terrorist Glorification
Extremism
Terrorist Support
Anti-Zionist
Associations
Collective Vilification
Anti-ZionistPathologising
Terrorist Support
Pathologising
Eliminationist Rhetoric
Nazi Comparisons
Terrorist GlorificationTerrorist Support
Aspirational TerrorismEliminationist RhetoricTerrorist Glorification
Jewishsupremacism
Collective Vilification
Why Web Summit Must Act
Web Summit bills itself as one of the world's premier technology conferences, bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders to discuss the future of technology and society. By platforming individuals who promote extremist ideologies and support terrorist organizations, Web Summit would:
Legitimize dangerous extremist rhetoric under the guise of "comedy" or "free speech"
Compromise the safety and comfort of Jewish attendees and other targeted groups
Damage the conference's reputation and credibility within the tech community
Send a message that supporting terrorist organizations and promoting antisemitism is acceptable in professional spaces
The Stakes Are Clear
This is not about silencing unpopular opinions or stifling debate. This is about drawing a clear line: those who actively support terrorist organizations, promote hatred, and spread dangerous conspiracy theories should not be given prestigious platforms to further amplify their messages.
The tech community prides itself on being forward-thinking, innovative, and inclusive. Platforming individuals like Tadhg Hickey contradicts these values and risks normalizing extremism in professional settings.
Conclusion
Web Summit must not lend Tadhg Hickey any hint of legitimacy by platforming him. The documented evidence of his support for designated terrorist organizations, promotion of antisemitic rhetoric, and spreading of conspiracy theories makes him fundamentally unsuitable for a platform at a respected international conference. The tech community deserves better, and Web Summit's reputation depends on making the right choice.
