Israel vs. Hamas OR Israel vs. TikTok?
The media's portrayal of international conflicts has a more significant impact than one might think, not only on public opinion but also in driving actions and political responses to these conflicts, depending on their framing. A prime example is the coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. When hostilities began on October 7, with Hamas launching attacks that involved killing, butchering, and raping civilians, the media faced the complex task of framing these events: Were these acts of Palestinian resistance or crimes against humanity? Or perhaps something different? The narratives advanced by various media outlets, influenced by their geographical locations and political biases, typically fell into one of these categories. This raises a question: Which media outlet is most influential in shaping majority opinion? Answering this will require time, surveys, and research. However, one thing is clear—untraditional media like TikTok have played a significant role in educating the younger generation, where roughly one-third of Americans aged 18–29 regularly get their news from TikTok, the Pew Research Center found in a late 2023 survey.
Understanding the entity behind TikTok, which is China, helps us see the narrative chosen to influence the young generation, predominantly anti-Israel. It's intriguing to examine how media impacts actual actions and movements and actively gives voice to large groups that can alter a country's internal and external politics toward an international conflict, as seen at Columbia University and spreading to many other U.S. universities. The media, particularly nontraditional media platforms like TikTok, now wield a power that rivals even governments; they shape, direct, and even manipulate public opinion, proving to be real game-changers in how conflicts are perceived during tumultuous times.
As the media grappled with whether to view the conflict as a predictable tragedy of war—akin to the Russian casualties in Russia's invasion of Ukraine—or as an act of genocide by Israel against Palestinians, the complexity of the narrative deepened. Notably, on October 7, the attacks specifically targeted Israeli civilians, an action Hamas clearly intended as genocide. In contrast, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have a stated objective to dismantle Hamas and end terrorism, yet they face an immense challenge in avoiding civilian casualties. These actions are captured in the media as Israel committing genocide, but is this really genocide or a consequence of war? Is it imaginable that Israel would strategically choose to commit genocide? This question has become pivotal as media coverage has shied away from addressing these critical inquiries, leading to nationwide polarization and significant activism. The intense focus on the conflict through unconventional media platforms like TikTok has mobilized thousands of nationwide student activists. This mobilization led to large-scale protests and the staging of a Vietnam-style encampment within the main campus of the university in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. These actions are a response to what activists describe as repression of pro-Palestinian protests, underscoring the significant influence of media narratives on young Americans. This blog delves into how media shapes perceptions of the Israel-Hamas conflict and its extensive effects on American students, transforming university campuses into active arenas within the broader geopolitical dialogue.
Shaver et al.'s study (2021) meticulously analyzes approximately 40 million news articles to explore how partisan biases within U.S. media outlets influence the reporting of international affairs. By comparing the reporting frequency on international issues against the actual human costs associated with these issues, the study reveals a concerning disparity: media coverage often does not align with the real-world impacts of these events. This misalignment suggests that media reporting may be driven more by narrative appeal or political bias than by the objective severity of the issues covered.
The study highlights a crucial point: "Understanding how the likelihood of a given event being reported changes across its type, location, and time will be essential to determining whether report-based event data in aggregate reflect actual social phenomena or simply the tendencies of those who report on them." This insight is particularly relevant for understanding the dynamics among activist protesters in American universities, where platforms like TikTok and Instagram shape the portrayal of the Israel-Hamas conflict and significantly influence student activism. This can exacerbate student reactions and spur movements demanding institutional changes, thus turning campuses into battlegrounds not just of ideas but of global political realities mirrored through social media lenses. This illustrates how deeply media influence can penetrate, affecting not only public opinion but also actively shaping the political engagement of the youth.
Additionally, John Mueller's book, 'Public Opinion, the Media, and War,' critically examines the role and influence of the media in shaping public opinion during wartime. It challenges the traditional belief that media strongly influences public perception, suggesting that media often reinforces existing beliefs rather than changing them. Mueller describes the media as “the thing in the middle”—a conduit that transmits rather than shapes events and public reactions to war. However, this raises the question of the impact of media on younger individuals who have not yet formed their opinions. This consideration is crucial because it highlights how the media can amplify pre-existing biases among those with established views. Understanding this dynamic is critical to analyzing why certain media narratives gain traction among the youth, especially in how these narratives are perceived and acted upon in university settings. Young people, who are in the formative years of building their viewpoints, are particularly susceptible to narratives presented in compelling formats, such as visually engaging videos and sensationalist headlines, reinforcing Mueller's point about the power of imagery in shaping public reactions.
Matthew A. Baum and Angela Jamison delve into the concept of Soft News and its significant political effects in their book, "Soft News and the Four Oprah Effects." They define the Oprah Effect as the influence of soft news consumption on voter behavior and political engagement, detailing its impact across four dimensions: attention, knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. This model illustrates how soft news captivates typically disengaged individuals by presenting political content in an accessible and entertaining format, influencing political perceptions and actions. Baum and Jamison highlight that "Passive learning incidental to seeking entertainment via soft news could allow consumers to gain political knowledge, even without their intending to do so." The vulnerable population of young students, receiving much of their information about the war through entertainment apps they follow as part of social trends, are fed with abundant information, which may or may not be accurate, leading to a loss of control. The Oprah Effect emphasizes the transformative power of soft news in mobilizing youth through platforms like daytime TV shows and social media to participate actively in the political landscape.
Not only does the company TikTok itself promote a one-sided narrative, but celebrities who adhere to this narrative and command millions of followers on the platform also wield significant influence. The research documented in “Can Exposure to Celebrities Reduce Prejudice?” by Alrababa'h et al. examines Mohamed Salah, a prominent Muslim soccer player, and his impact on diminishing Islamophobic behaviors among Liverpool F.C. fans. The study supports the parasocial contact hypothesis, demonstrating that Salah's visibility led to a decrease in anti-Muslim tweets and hate crimes in Liverpool, crowning him as an official opinion leader. This illustrates how non-news media representations, like the celebrity influence of Salah, can significantly affect public perceptions and actions regarding social issues. Salah's positive public portrayal and his embrace of his Muslim identity have helped change attitudes among fans, suggesting that similar dynamics could influence perceptions of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Highlighting humanizing stories or positive representations of individuals from conflict regions could shift public opinion and reduce prejudice on a broader scale, similar to Salah's impact on perceptions of Muslims. This reflection underscores the role of media, beyond traditional news, in shaping social attitudes and influencing geopolitical discourse.
This blog does not aim to determine which narrative is right or wrong, nor does it judge whether student activism is inherently positive or negative. Instead, it highlights the significant control we, as a society, have lost over the content we consume and its profound influence on our perceptions and actions. Mass media, with its pervasive reach and power, shapes public opinion and molds political responses in ways that may not always align with the true nature of events. Through platforms like TikTok and the actions of influential public figures, narratives are crafted and disseminated, often without the critical oversight that might balance or check their impacts. As we navigate this complex media landscape, It becomes imperative to understand the mechanisms of media influence and how they can sway societal and political landscapes, especially during an international conflict that receives vast attention. This awareness is crucial for fostering a more discerning and proactive audience capable of questioning and critically engaging with the media they consume. All we can hope for is that TikTok and other unconventional platforms recognize that the vulnerable young generation, still developing their worldviews, are the real victims of their pursuit of revenue and market share.