Social Media in the Time of War

Almost three years ago, I became a mother to a beautiful boy who since then has brought unsurmountable happiness in my life. The journey to becoming a mother was not arduous. I was one of the fortunate ones. And now, my almost 3-year-old runs around in the fields, in multiple parks, splashes water from fountains, and squeals with delight. And I look on, and marvel at the universe.

But recently, this awe has become tainted with a strange mixture of guilt and relief, extreme feelings of helplessness and shame. I am fortunate and so is my child. But the countless mothers and children in Palestine are not. For Rania Abu Anza, in particular, the woman who underwent multiple rounds of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive twins after a 10-year long wait, the war has proven to be devastating, as it always is for the most vulnerable in the society. Her twins were murdered by an Israeli airstrike along with her husband. This news made rounds on social media and while her name and story is remembered, after more than six months of Israeli onslaught on Gaza and surrounding areas, other casualties and deaths merely represent statistics and numbers.

And the world watches on helplessly. And guilt is added onto the mix for many of us who remain sheltered in our comfortable homes, with our children nestled in their warm beds, safe and secure. And then the foreboding thought. Until when? Because if they can do it to them, they can do it to us too. And then the accompanying shame and relief at the thought that our turn has not come. At least not yet.

As the news of starvation and famine in Gaza started spreading on social media, my reaction was unreasonable When my toddler would refuse to eat a nutritious meal prepared lovingly, I have found myself losing my cool more than general and making guilt-inducing statements to him such as, ‘People in Gaza do not have anything to eat’ and ‘you’re so lucky,’ statements which are in no way helpful. Except perhaps a way of expressing one’s disbelief that one child can be starving to death while the entire world watches on, and another one can have his pick of whatever he wants yet still refuse.

Social media, including X, Instagram and Facebook has been replete with graphic images. Many of us are now experiencing second-hand trauma from seeing these violent images, of the utter depravity of war. It’s almost sordid. You do not want to look yet you cannot help but look. People have been spending hours scrolling on social media, in the mornings, before they go to bed. Those already suffering from some form of mental illness for example, depression and anxiety are at higher risks. Others who have experienced war or conflict in some form have also re-experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a way, the world are experiencing what can be considered collective depression stemming especially from feeling helpless.

There has of course been criticism of those who have been posting on social media. That they are contributing to anti-Semitism and other hate crimes. Criticisms also include that these social media posts do nothing except spread propaganda and are in no way helpful. The looming question therefore has been, to post or not to post?

However, as Hannah Jane Parkinson writes in her article in ‘The Guardian’ published at the beginning of the war, to post, to write, to say something is important. Because silence can be considered as complicity. Take for example, the allegation from feminists from Israel that UN Women did not condemn the sexual violence and rape perpetrated against the hostages taken by Hamas until three months later. Palestinians also took to social media, for example the photo journalist, Motaz Azaiz, to provide an in-depth reporting of the war. In addition, in the absence of mainstream media remaining silent on this issue, or at least showing one side of the war, or using a certain kind of language to describe what can easily now be labelled as genocide against the Palestinians, social media can be considered a viable form.

Amidst these times, it is no longer humane to remain silent for it implies connivance. In fact, the silence from academia and more specifically the healthcare and bioethics academia had been a particular source of embarrassment for me. Very few articles appeared in bioethics-related publications on the Gaza issue. In addition, bioethicists whose job description is to actually highlight ethical issues on almost all issues related to ‘life’ and its sanctity have also remained largely silent. In an article accepted for publication in an academic journal, The Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, I and one of my bioethics colleagues have called upon the bioethics community to write about issues that actually matter – war and conflict. And when journal editors, or newspapers do not provide enough publishing space to these pertinent issues, then it is important to turn to social media. Because while we may remain helpless and unable to stop killings from happening, at least we would have made some noise and stood for humanity.

The writer is Assistant Professor at CBEC, SIUT.