How are citizen journalists bringing the Palestinian perspective to the digital space?

Summary

Meta's report acknowledges bias against Palestinians on Facebook and Instagram during Israel's 2021 Gaza assault, validating Palestinian citizen journalists' experiences of censorship. These journalists, ordinary people sharing ground realities, have become vital news sources, especially where traditional media is obstructed. Their work has influenced global perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict, despite facing safety threats and platform censorship, highlighting the struggle for digital space in the narrative war.

Takeaways

• 📜 Meta admitted that Facebook and Instagram were biased against Palestinians during the 2021 Israel-Gaza conflict.
• 🗣️ Palestinian citizen journalists have been highlighting the unjustified censorship, content removal, and account suspensions on social media platforms.
• 🌏 Citizen journalism provides an alternative narrative to the traditional media, offering untold stories and on-the-ground documentation.
• 📹 Live streams and content shared by citizen journalists have attracted millions, becoming a news source for a global audience.
• 🏠 The 2021 conflict saw 28 Palestinian families facing forceful expulsion, with citizen journalists providing a nuanced understanding of the situation.
• 🤝 International support for Palestinians increased, with activists and celebrities standing in solidarity, some even addressing the UN.
• 📰 Traditional media has been criticized for bias and false equivalencies in their coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
• 📹 Citizen journalism has become a critical resource for news, especially where traditional media access is blocked.
• 🔒 The safety of journalists in Palestine is often at risk, with at least 30 killed by Israeli forces since 2000.
• 🛑 Palestinian news organizations have faced closures or destruction, and digital rights activists have raised concerns over freedom of expression on social media.
• 🚫 Social media platforms have been accused of censoring Palestinian voices, with Facebook reportedly complying with Israeli government requests to remove content.

Q & A

What did Meta's report admit regarding Facebook and Instagram's treatment of Palestinians?

Meta's report admitted that Facebook and Instagram were biased against Palestinians during Israel's assault on Gaza in May 2021, confirming concerns raised by Palestinian citizen journalists about unjustified censorship, content removal, and account suspensions.

Who are the Palestinian citizen journalists and what role do they play?

Palestinian citizen journalists are ordinary people who document events on the ground and share untold stories with the world. They provide an alternative narrative and have become a news source for a larger audience, especially during times of conflict.

How did citizen journalists' content become attractive to a larger audience?

Citizen journalists' content became attractive due to its immediacy, authenticity, and the alternative perspective it offers, especially in regions where traditional media access is often blocked or obstructed.

What was the significance of the 11-day bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces in the context of citizen journalism?

During the 11-day bombardment, citizen journalists played a critical role in disseminating information and sharing stories that traditional media might not have covered, thus providing a more nuanced understanding of the events.

How did the rise of social media impact the role of citizen journalism in the Israel-Palestine conflict?

The advent of social media allowed citizen journalists to bypass traditional media gatekeepers, reaching a global audience directly and influencing the global perspective on the conflict.

What was the impact of citizen journalism on international awareness and solidarity for Palestinians?

Citizen journalism helped international organizations, activists, and celebrities to stand in solidarity with Palestinians, as seen when Mohammed al-Qad addressed the United Nations and made Time magazine's top 100 influential people list.

How did traditional media's coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict reveal bias?

An MIT study analyzed New York Times articles and found orientalist bias against Palestinians in U.S. news coverage, showing how traditional media often framed the conflict with false equivalencies.

What was the initiative by B'Tselem and Israeli human rights organization in 2007 to empower citizen journalism?

In 2007, B'Tselem and an Israeli human rights organization distributed 150 camcorders to citizen journalists in the occupied West Bank to bring alleged violations by settlers and the Israeli military into public view.

How has the safety of journalists been compromised in Palestine?

According to Reporters Without Borders, at least 30 journalists have been killed by Israeli forces since 2000, highlighting the risks faced by journalists in conflict zones.

What challenges do Palestinian news organizations face in terms of physical and digital security?

Palestinian news organizations face closures or complete destruction by Israel, with 31 organizations affected in 2021. In the digital sphere, there is also the issue of censorship and muzzling of freedom of expression on social media platforms.

How does the censorship of Palestinian voices on social media platforms affect the struggle for equal representation?

The censorship of Palestinian voices on social media platforms, often justified by platform policies, leads to a loss of trust and hinders the ability of Palestinians to have an equal voice in the digital space, exacerbating existing disparities.