I cannot scroll through my Facebook feed this week without coming across some opining on the Israeli-Hamas conflict ocurring this month. There are clear divides among my friends to both sides, and their posts have generated many 'Likes' and numerous comments. The use of social media to promote strong opinions in the realm of global politics is not a new concept, although it is becoming clear to me that the agenda served by these messages is to put a certain spin on conflict, and in doing so, change a few minds. Although the posts I see on my feed seem harmless and may add some interesting perspective, Israel and Hamas have been accused of distorting the reality of the war by promoting pre-packaged images to be distributed and shared via social media. The purpose of these initiatives, which would reach millions, is to sway public opinion. On the one hand, it is demystifying to learn the on-ground experience of those in the middle of conflict via twitter and Facebook updates. However, it is sad to see governments use social media to propagate political messages by exploiting tragedy and intending to sway political conversation. In either case, this is a testament to the power of social media as a war tactic.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/16/tech/social-media/social-media-war-gaza-israel/index.html?hpt=te_t1
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/19/tech/web/cyber-attack-israel-anonymous/index.html?hpt=te_t1
1 comment:
An interesting part of the story is how IDF and Hamas tweets sometimes violate Twitter's terms of service, which prohibit making threats and depicting violence. Most notably, the IDF tweeted that Hamas leaders should not show their faces above ground and posted a video of a Hamas leader being assassinated.
Another interesting part of this story is that besides facilitating propaganda and threats, Twitter also helps broadcast unvarnished information that would otherwise not be accessible to the public at-large. This is especially the case in the most recent Israel/Palestine conflict in that the IDF twice bombed the Gaza media center, injuring several journalists and inhibiting conventional reporting in the Gaza strip.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/11/15/how_not_to_wage_war_on_the_internet
http://www.businessinsider.com/israel-bombs-media-tower-in-gaza-again-2012-11
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