CTeenConnection

Hey CTeeners, I am writing today to bring a very important problem to your attention.

The media has a very big impact on our daily lives and opinions. What we see on the news or in social media influences us to think a certain way—but is the media always correct?

Unfortunately, it is not; one example of this is when Israel comes to the table. The media is constantly attacking Israel by publishing false and biased information. This is known as “Media Bias against Israel,” and these are some things you need to know:

1. This is a huge problem. The media controls nearly everything we see, hear, and understand about the world. It shapes our beliefs, our actions, and our opinions. When people read or see that Israel is “committing genocide” or “oppressing Palestinians,” they assume that it’s true, and it becomes incorporated into their views. However, what many don’t realize is that the media is biased; most news sources never share the full story and word the occurrences to make it seem like Israel is the “bad guy.”

2. Another problem with media bias is that media outlets hide their opinions and/or incorrect facts very well; even one word can imply an opinion. It is extremely hard to identify media bias! In addition, the media sometimes uses similar phrases as anti-Israel organizations, which might lead people to believe that both sources are correct. Anti-Israel organizations abuse the bias of the media to their advantage, which verifies their cause and what they are preaching. In extreme cases, such as AJ+ and other anti-Semitic media outlets, anti-Israel organizations and violence against Israel are encouraged.

3. Some articles and videos about Israel are straight up propaganda.
For example, AJ+, a media outlet of Al Jazeera run by the Qatari government, is known for its anti-Israel propaganda that specifically targets teenagers and millennials. Nearly all AJ+ videos (on Israel) contain media bias, whether in the form of opinions or incorrect facts. For example, AJ+ videos claim that the media is actually pro-Israel, that Israel is responsible for committing genocide against the Palestinians, that the UN is actually biased in favor of Israel, and that BDS—the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions movement against Israel—is actually helpful to the Palestinians. These assumptions made by AJ+ are completely false!

Fortunately, some people have started realizing that Al Jazeera is a biased and untrustworthy source. But, on the other hand, most people don’t know that the AJ in AJ+ stands for Al Jazeera. Therefore, it remains a popular news source.

4. Media bias against Israel remains a problem for everyone, and it is not only a problem for Jews! How so? Because of media bias against Israel, is it hard for people to find out the truth about these topics; therefore, they give up and accept “fake news” that they know is not true. This completely ruins the truth that supposedly exists within the media, and also plagues the public opinion. Media bias exists in every major news source (with very few exceptions). It is so hard nowadays to find a true and unbiased article about Israel; lies about the land are literally everywhere! Also, no matter if it really is unbiased and completely factual, there will always be the skeptics who will still call it biased.

5. This constant attack on Israel spreads anti-Israel views (as well as anti-Semitism) and plagues the accuracy and truth of the media. In fact, a poll conducted by YouGov recently concluded that around 82% of Jews living in the United Kingdom believe that media bias against Israel fuels anti-Semitism in Britain. Jews around the world are being subjected to anti-Semitism because a single person is either reporting or writing their anti-Israel opinions!

6. We, teenagers who are actively involved in the modern world, are the primary targets of media bias! Media outlets specifically target young adults, teens, and millennials by presenting information in forms that appeal to us.

We need to know about this so that we will not become negatively influenced by the media and we will not believe the lies that the media tells us; we need to learn the truth and educate those who believe everything they they hear/read in the news. While media bias is such a complex and diverse issue, there are some things that we can do to help stop the spread of its influence. Posting or sharing unbiased articles about Israel on social media, or posting this article on social media, can help change a person’s view. While this might seem to be a very minor change, positively influencing one person can have a tremendous impact. Another solution to this problem is simply education and awareness. When you yourself are educated, you have the ability to educate others.

When reading the news, keep in mind that most articles you will find contain anti-Israel bias. Although this may be the case, remember that some articles are actually true and necessary for us to know. Articles that appear on StandWithUs, Honest Reporting, the Jerusalem Post, and others contain valuable (and accurate!) information about Israel. It is your job as a teenage Jew to defend our homeland. While you may or may not experience anti-Semitism, we need to be proud of our Judaism and be proud of our accomplishments. After over 2000 years of exile and persecution, we finally have the ability to visit our homeland, as well as our eternal capital, Jerusalem. While we may not be able to defend it physically, we are 100% able to defend it intellectually.