The war declared by Israel against the Hamas group last Saturday has been the subject of fake news, misleading reports, and disinformation worldwide. Some of the verified cases so far range from videos and photographs of alleged attacks that were filmed in other countries and contexts to the use of a military video game to "prove" a false Hamas bombing against an Israeli target.

Much of the disinformation and fake news has circulated through X (formerly Twitter), which has put the social network of magnate Elon Musk in a difficult position. Why? Because experts in the field told El País newspaper that the flood of falsehoods had never been so significant, highlighting X's inability to curb disinformation, even from verified accounts with the new paid plan.

This situation has not only affected Twitter. The European Union urged Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) to enhance its information control mechanisms due to the increasing spread of fake news about the war between Israel and Hamas. Wired reported that if Meta fails to do so, it could face a fine of 6% of its global annual revenue.

Why Should Disinformation Be Eliminated?

Lies spread on social media have played a crucial role in shaping the perception of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as they influenced tensions between both sides during moments of heightened violence in the region, according to The New York Times. Additionally, the United Nations pointed out that disinformation can foster extremism, hate speech, human rights violations, and exacerbate divisions during times of crisis.