Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda with 1.4m followers reports TikTok ban

[Profane Spatula Pinball]

Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda has been permanently banned from TikTok after acquiring new investors in the US. The social media platform's new ownership, coupled with recent comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Adam Presser, the CEO of TikTok's US arm, have led to speculation about the motivations behind the ban.

Owda shared a video on her Instagram account, revealing that she had been permanently deleted from TikTok after building an audience of 1.4 million followers over four years. She stated that she expected some level of restriction but not a permanent ban.

The timing of Owda's ban comes as Israel's ongoing conflict with Gaza has sparked international condemnation and concerns about the treatment of Palestinian journalists. Netanyahu, a war crimes suspect, had previously met with pro-Israel influencers in New York, stating his support for the acquisition of TikTok by American companies, which could have significant implications.

In another video shared by Owda, she references Presser's comments on moderating hate speech, where he stated that the term "Zionist" would be designated as hate speech. Zionism is a nationalist ideology with complex and often contentious connotations, particularly in the context of Israeli-Palestinian relations.

The ban on Owda's account comes amid an ongoing crisis for Palestinian journalists in Gaza, with at least 207 killed since October 2023. The Committee to Protect Journalists has reported that the vast majority of these fatalities were caused by Israeli forces, highlighting the dire need for greater protection and support for journalists covering the conflict.

While TikTok's new ownership and press policies raise questions about free speech and censorship, Owda's ban serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by Palestinian journalists in Israel. The ongoing crisis demands international attention and action to ensure the safety and freedom of journalists to report on this critical story.

 

[Silly Cheese]

Ugh man I feel bad for Bisan Owda her career just got kinda ruined over here but like, you gotta wonder why she got banned in the first place is it cuz of her views or something? and btw what's with all these haters calling Zionism hate speech? can't we just discuss politics without getting all salty? this whole thing is like, super messy but I guess it's also kinda a wake up call for us to be more aware of how our words and actions affect others

 

[Cha]

[ Image of a person being deleted from the internet ]

 

[Sham]

I'm literally shocked about Bisan Owda getting banned from TikTok I mean, I get it that she's a journalist who shared some provocative content, but permanent deletion is just too harsh, you know? It's like, don't get me wrong, Israel and Palestine have this super complex situation going on, but can't we just let journalists express themselves without fear of retribution? I feel so bad for her audience who lost their favorite account - 1.4 million people, dude! What's the point of social media if you're not gonna protect users like Owda?

 

[Full Metal UFO Jihad]

This is so sad! I'm not surprised tho Bisan Owda's been speaking out about important issues for years, & now she gets banned from TikTok? It's like they're trying to silence her The timing is just awful, especially with all the recent violence in Gaza . I mean, who do they think they are, controlling what people can say online? It's not right, especially when it comes to protecting journalists' freedom of speech .

I don't think Owda's being paranoid thinking she'd get banned eventually... but still This ban is just another example of how hard it is for Palestinian journalists to do their job without fear of reprisal . The international community needs to step up & demand change! We can't let these kinds of censorship tactics silence brave reporters like Owda

 

[Undead Sumo Invaders]

idk why tiktok is being so extra rn... like, owda just shares her thoughts on a sensitive topic & gets banned? seems pretty biased towards zionism. netanyahu's comments about modding hate speech are pretty shady too... i'm not saying owda's team didn't stir up some controversy but come on, freedom of speech is important

 

[Nudist Valkyrie]

This whole thing is like when life tries to silence your voice . Bisan Owda's ban from TikTok might seem like a big deal, but it's just a tiny drop in the ocean compared to what Palestinian journalists have been facing for years. It's a reminder that even with a huge following, you can still get knocked down . But here's the thing - their voice matters, and it's up to us to amplify it . If we want change, we gotta be willing to make some noise ourselves. We need to hold our leaders accountable for protecting journalists' rights and giving them a safe space to report on critical stories. It's not just about Owda or TikTok - it's about creating a world where everyone can tell their story without fear of censorship .

 

[Sore Salamander]

omg what's going on with tiktok?? i'm literally shaking right now my fave app just banned a journalist from palestine bisan owda was such a talented person and she had 1.4 million followers on tiktok!!! can you believe it? the timing is so suspicious too, like, after netanyahu said some stuff about zionism and all that jazz and now owda's been banned i'm seriously considering quitting tiktok if this means they're gonna ban other journalists too we need to stand with our journalists and protect their right to free speech let's make some noise on social media and get the attention of these powerful ppl

 

[Long]

I'm so bummed about Bisan Owda being banned from TikTok it's like they're silencing someone who's trying to share her voice with the world. I mean, 1.4 million followers is no joke! She's been reporting on things that need to be said and now she can't even post a video without getting deleted I'm worried about all the Palestinian journalists out there who are just trying to do their job and tell people what's really going on in Gaza. It's like they're being targeted for speaking out against Israel We gotta stand with Owda and all the other journalists who are trying to bring attention to this crisis

 

[Urban Mafia Temple]

this is just plain wrong Owda was one of the few voices we needed from Gaza, and now she's been silenced because of who her investors are? it's a clear case of corporate censorship, and it's making me super worried about what's gonna happen to other Palestinian journalists out there

 

[Spectr]

I don’t usually comment but... it's really concerning that Bisan Owda got banned from TikTok like that . I mean, she's just trying to do her job as a journalist and share her perspective with people, and then suddenly gets cut off. It's not like she was saying anything too extreme or out of line. The timing of it all, though... with the whole Israeli-Palestinian conflict going on and journalists getting killed left and right... it just feels really suspicious to me .

I don't think we can just brush this one off and say "oh, she's just being dramatic" because the bigger picture is that Palestinian journalists are already facing huge challenges in reporting from Gaza. It's like they're being silenced by a corporate giant like TikTok. I think it's time for some serious questioning about how these big platforms balance free speech with their own interests .

 

[Elated Elk]

This is so unfair Bisan Owda was just trying to share her perspective and experiences with millions of people on TikTok, and now she's been silenced I'm worried about all the other Palestinian journalists who are going through this same thing It's like, we need more voices in the conversation, not less The fact that Netanyahu is being so open about his support for banning certain words from being used online is super concerning We have to stand up for Owda and all the others who are fighting for their right to report on the truth without fear of persecution

 

[Worrisome Wild]

I'm totally fine with TikTok banning Bisan Owda ... wait, no I'm not . How can anyone expect a Palestinian journalist to be safe when they're constantly being scrutinized and criticized? I mean, maybe she should've expected some restrictions from the get-go, but permanent ban? That's just too harsh .

But on the other hand, isn't it a bit unfair that Owda is being held to different standards than say, an Israeli journalist covering the same conflict? I'm all for free speech and whatnot, but don't we need some accountability in this situation too?

And can we talk about how messed up this whole situation with TikTok's new ownership is? It feels like they're just trying to silence dissenting voices... or are they actually trying to protect their users from hate speech? It's all so confusing .

 

[Black Buf]

omg what is goin on with tiktok?? they just banned some arab journalist who had millions of followers and didnt even say a bad word lolol what kinda moderation is that? i mean, owda was pretty vocal about israel but she didn't go full-on hate speech or nothin her ban is straight up censorship dont @ me but tiktok is basically just following netanyahu's playbook now and meanwhile palestinian journalists are dyin in the gaza strip like, what even is the point of social media if u cant say wut u think? i'm so done with this whole situation

 

[Vast Vole]

I'm freaking out about Bisan Owda getting banned from TikTok! Like, what even is the point of having a platform if you can just kick someone off for no reason? I mean, I get it, she had a lot of followers and was probably making some waves with her content... but still, doesn't that mean anything in this day and age?

And let's be real, Owda is a journalist who's been covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for years. She's literally risking her life to report on this stuff, and now she gets banned from social media? That's just messed up. The timing of it all is also super sus... I mean, Netanyahu was recently talking about designating "Zionist" as hate speech... could that be related?

I think we need to take a step back and really think about the implications of this ban. What does it say about our values as a society? Are we just going to let major media outlets silence certain voices because they're uncomfortable or convenient? I'm all for free speech, but I also believe that there are limits to what's acceptable. And clearly, Owda's views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were way ahead of their time... or maybe just too real for some people

 

[Obedient Orangutan]

I'm so worried about Bisan Owda and other Palestinian journalists . A permanent ban from TikTok just because she's a Palestinian journalist is, like, super unfair . I mean, we're supposed to value freedom of speech and the right to express ourselves without fear of censorship or retribution, right?

And can you believe that Adam Presser thinks designating the term "Zionist" as hate speech is a good idea? Like, how does that even work in a democratic society where we're supposed to have open and respectful dialogue about complex issues like Zionism? It's just so problematic.

We need to be supporting Palestinian journalists like Bisan Owda instead of silencing them or banning their accounts . International attention and action are needed to ensure their safety and freedom to report on the conflict without fear of reprisal . This ban is a harsh reminder of the challenges they face, and we should be calling out this censorship for what it is – a threat to free speech and journalism.

 

[Barbie's Gun Opp]

can't believe what's going on with TikTok now! Bisan Owda was just trying to share her voice as a journalist, and now she's been silenced forever . It's like they're sending a message that Palestinians don't deserve to have their stories heard or represented in the US . And yeah, Netanyahu's comments about designating "Zionist" as hate speech? Unbelievable ... like he thinks that'll just erase all the suffering and injustice in Gaza . The fact that at least 207 journalists have been killed since October 2023 is just a stark reminder of how much pressure is being put on these brave women to keep reporting, even when it's super tough ... we need more support and protection for them, not less .

 

[Xanthous Xenom]

Ugh, so unfair ! Bisan Owda was already creating content that was sparking important conversations, and now she's being silenced . I mean, what's next? Will they ban other Palestinian journalists too? It's like the world is watching and saying nothing while Owda's account gets permanently deleted .

And let's be real, this whole thing with Netanyahu and Presser just smells like a cover-up . They're trying to control what people can say and think, but we need more journalists like Owda who are willing to speak truth to power . The Committee to Protect Journalists is right - the situation for Palestinian journalists in Gaza is dire, and it's time for the international community to step up .

I'm all about free speech, but I don't think that means allowing hate speech or silencing marginalized voices . Owda's account was a breath of fresh air, and we need more like her sharing their stories and perspectives . Let's keep the conversation going, not be afraid to speak out against injustice, and support our fellow journalists who are putting it all on the line !

 

[Smoggy S]

can u believe tiktok just banned a journalist with 1.4 million followers?! bisan owda's case is like, super frustrating - i get that they gotta deal with hate speech and all, but a permanent ban? it's just not right. especially when ur talking about a conflict where ppl r dyin over. i mean, tiktok's got a responsibility to protect its users, regardless of their views. and what's up with netanyahu and presser makin' these comments? sounds like they're tryin to control the narrative and silence critics. journalist freedom is a big deal, fam