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Experiencing the Hamas massacre through the social media prism
Like many of you, I have been closely following the news coming out of Israel and Gaza the past few days. As a Jewish American, the events are personal for me and evoke many strong emotions.
However, as news and headlines trickle in, I have also noticed certain dynamics at play that are a direct result of social media — one of the primary ways we consume news and communicate with others. Friends I have spoken with appreciate these dynamics as well — and there are certainly dynamics that I will miss in this analysis. Nevertheless, I have included some observations below.
A note: these observations discuss the tribalism of today’s social media climate and how hard it is to discern fact from fiction in our online discourse. I want to make it clear, however, that the core truth of what happened this weekend is evident: Hamas, a terrorist organization, massacred over 1,000 innocent Israeli civilians in an act of senseless depravity. While individual details of specific stories may be murky, this truth is not.
Now…on with the social media commentary.
First-hand reporting on platforms like Tik Tok are capturing the depravity of the attacks in ways that traditional media sources cannot and are likely driving much of the sharing activity on social media. I would guess that this type of storytelling gets more traction because it evokes a more visceral reaction; it is also more “objective” than reporting from traditional outlets, including MSNBC and CNN, which have received criticism over the last few days. This dynamic is not new — particularly with regard to the Arab-Israeli Conflict — but certainly remains true today.
Likewise, creators are putting out statements that are also getting shared much more widely than statements from public figures. With the exception of President Biden’s statement unequivocally condemning Hamas, much the activity I have noticed has been focused on quotes and statements from previously unknown activists and online personalities. Lots of bolded quotes in black boxes.
Although the competing narratives of the Arab-Israeli Conflict make it difficult for new learners to trust what they read and identify a commonly-shared set of facts, the current news environment and the dissemination of content from unvetted creators makes the task even harder. For example, videos from the front lines may obscure important context. Content created by advocacy groups may be strategically cropped to advance points of view. Disinformation is rampant, particularly on the platform formerly known as Twitter. And the jury is still out on whether creators on either side are using AI to create fake content. The takeaway: the added difficulties of discerning fact from fiction is an additional incentive for posters to select narratives and content that confirms their existing worldview, regardless of its veracity.
Relatedly, the echo chambers and tribalism driven by social media obliterates nuanced thinking — not only because people do not feel pressured to apply intellectual rigor to what they share (everyone agrees with me already!), and not only because the content they are sharing may not be accurate, but because people are often not seeking to learn. They are seeking the validation of having their views confirmed by likeminded people rather than striving for truth.
There is a clear link between online discourse and interpersonal relationships. In some cases, seeing content that provides solidarity or comfort has helped people through this difficult period and strengthened relationships. Conversely, I have heard repeatedly that people have had tough conversations with their colleagues and friends about content they posted online supporting one side or the other. Those conversations, for the most part, have resolved successfully from what I gather. Some have not, and friendships have come to an end. Not since Donald Trump’s campaign in 2016 have I witnessed — albeit anecdotally — friendships ending over political memes.
More broadly, in times like these, it is important to remember the timeless adage, “the medium is the message.” The way we consume information impacts not only how we comprehend what is happening around us, but also how we relate to our friends and communities. As the conflict unfolds, I’ll be curious to see how social media influences how it is covered and how the world writ large interprets what’s going on.
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Before I leave you: if you’re interested in supporting the families impacted by the Hamas massacre, consider supporting United Hatzalah, a nonprofit committed to supporting medical first responders. CNN has also provided a list of vetted organizations here.