Jewish Press: The power and impact of social media are on the rise, with 53.6 percent of the world using social media1 and 42 percent of Americans between the ages of 18-29 using social media as their primary source of news.2 Social media plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion around the 2021 Hamas-Israel conflict.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.” Matthew 24:9
The Times of Israel reported that social media turned the social discourse into a “battlefield.” There was a storm of sock-puppet accounts,3 bots,4 and fake identity accounts5 among genuine yet misleading pro-Palestinian narratives posted by celebrities, news organizations, and individuals. Some pro-Palestinian posts, while genuine, may have been promoted by third-party interest groups. For example, a pro-Palestinian tweet made by the average John Doe could be hijacked by a third party through paid promotion to make the tweet go viral. On the other hand, many pro-Palestinian posts are posted by someone with a large audience or “organically” go viral.
Currently, Israel appears to be losing the social media war, with Palestinians garnering sympathy worldwide. Many in the United States are drawing parallels to the Black Lives Matter movement due to a perception of state violence, according to American University’s Thomas Zeitzoff. Read More
