How to avoid misinformation about the war in Gaza

A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel. EPA-EFE/MOHAMMED SABER

Poynter
Social media is flooded with out-of-context videos and images users claim are coming from Israel or Gaza. Finding the original source is key.

The war between Hamas and Israel is playing out on social media through graphic images and videos shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

But, like any conflict we’ve watched from our phone screens in the last decade, misinformation is rampant — including videos claiming to show Israeli children being held in cages and a fake BBC reporter fanning the flames of war. Fortunately, as with any breaking news event, like the ongoing war in Ukraine, some journalistic thinking and media literacy techniques can help you avoid sharing misinformation. MORE