An AI-generated image depicting tent camps for displaced Palestinians and the slogan “all eyes on Rafah” has gone viral, shared by nearly 45 million Instagram users, including celebrities like Bella Hadid and Nicola Coughlan.
This surge in shares comes amidst international criticism over the situation in Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip near the Egyptian border. Rafah has been heavily bombed by Israeli forces, with military strikes setting shelters on fire. Palestinians have been forced to dig through the charred remains to rescue survivors. At least 45 Palestinians have been killed in these attacks. Previously, Rafah was considered a humanitarian zone for civilians.
Sarah Jackson, an expert on communication, explains that internet activism has been around since the 1990s, with leaders of movements like the Zapatista uprising using the internet to share information. Instagram, with its visual focus, has become a popular platform for activists because it allows users to share both photos and videos.
“Palestinian journalists have been using Instagram to share what’s happening on the ground. Many of these journalists have been targeted and censored, but Instagram remains a key platform for them,” Jackson says.
However, many activists have struggled to share images from Gaza due to Instagram’s algorithmic guidelines that hide graphic content. While Instagram understands why people share such content, it encourages users to add warnings about graphic violence in accordance with its community guidelines.
