Hillary Clinton alleges that TikTok misinformation is shaping young people's opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has voiced concerns that social media platforms are influencing young Americans to support the Palestinian perspective, criticizing misinformation and asserting that some videos depicting violence in Gaza are entirely fabricated. Clinton expressed these views on Tuesday during a summit in New York City organized by the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom.

Where are intelligent, well-informed young people in our country and across the globe getting their information? Clinton asked. The answer is social media, particularly TikTok.

Clinton elaborated: This is where they are learning about events on October 7 and the following days, weeks, and months. This poses a serious issuenot just for Israel or the United States, but for democracy and for our youth.

She added that her attempts to discuss the conflict rationally with younger individuals had been challenging. They lack historical knowledge and context, and what they encounter on social media is not balancedits outright propaganda, Clinton said. She emphasized that the phenomenon extends beyond expected audiences, including many young Jewish Americans who are unfamiliar with the history.

More than half of young Americans consume news via social media, Clinton noted. They encounter short-form videos, some entirely fabricated, some misrepresenting events, yet thats where their understanding comes from. She did not specify particular videos from Gaza she believed to be misleading.

Other former Obama administration officials have voiced similar concerns. Sarah Hurwitz, a previous White House speechwriter, remarked at a Jewish Federations of North America summit that TikTok inundates young people with footage of Gazas devastation, making rational discussion difficult.

The statistic Clinton cited aligns with research from the Reuters Institute published in June, showing that 54% of U.S. citizens now obtain news via platforms like Facebook, X, and YouTube, compared to 50% from television and 48% from news websites and apps. Nic Newman, the research author, warned that click-driven news is particularly susceptible to manipulation, as it allows biased media, personalities, and influencers to spread misleading narratives without traditional journalistic scrutiny.

Author: Harper Simmons