Photo Ajazera
The repercussions of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas are not only limited to human losses and international reactions, but also extend to the media, where misleading information spreads like wildfire.
Many observers and followers noted that the Internet has witnessed an increasing spread of misinformation and fake news regarding current events since last Saturday.
In this regard, a video clip has spread widely over the past few hours showing a young boy lying on the ground in a pool of blood, while a man wearing a military uniform similar to that of the Israeli army stands next to him.
The caption accompanying the video, which has received more than two million views on the “X” platform, said: “Israel is trying to film fake footage of deaths.”
But in fact, the clip is taken from a behind-the-scenes shot of a Palestinian short film called “Empty Place.”
Another video clip, which spread on TikTok and received two million views, also monitored prominent Israeli generals who were supposedly captured by Hamas militants.
But after verification, it turns out that the original video was published on the official YouTube channel of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan last week, and shows the arrest of former leaders of the Nagorno-Karabakh government.
In the same context, on Sunday, several posts were circulated on social media platforms, claiming that Biden had approved an $8 billion security aid package for Israel, in the wake of the attacks.
The American magazine “Newsweek” refuted these allegations, and said that the White House did not issue any official statement on its website, nor did Biden provide any press statement in this regard.
Misinformation increases tensions
The British newspaper “The Guardian” says that misinformation has been flooding the Internet since the conflict began last Saturday, which is contributing to increasing tensions.
She adds: “Misinformation refers to the intentional spreading of false news or scenes, or when someone unintentionally spreads or believes that fake information is real.”
On the other hand, the “X” social platform announced on Thursday that it had removed or classified “tens of thousands” of posts in the days following the Hamas attack on Israel.
This comes after the European Commission, on Tuesday, sent a letter to Musk warning him about spreading misleading information, including fake news and old photos.
“Social media platforms like MetaWox have clear responsibilities in times of crisis,” said Amnesty International’s Deputy Technology Program Director, Pat de Brun.
He continued: “Social media is responsible for identifying risks, responding effectively to them, and taking effective measures to limit the spread of harmful content, the amplification of which could lead to human rights violations.”
