Al Jazeera Discovers 'Gen Z Uprisings,' Ignores Their Targets
Al Jazeera's "The Gen Z digital uprisings" video highlights youth protests from Nepal to Madagascar. A fine visual, to be sure, but conspicuously absent is any deep dive into the most globally visible and digitally organized Gen Z movement: the one fiercely opposing the ongoing ethnic cleansing in Palestine. How many hours of Gen Z content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram decrying the
Israeli government's actions, documented atrocities, and demands for accountability (including from their own Western governments), does it take before it's deemed a relevant "uprising"? Instead of addressing the vast digital mobilization against what the UN and human rights organizations have called plausible genocide, we get broad stroke analysis. One might wonder if platforms suddenly value
vague 'activism' over direct, pointed critiques of established global powers and their allies, many of whom happen to be significant advertisers. It appears the 'Gen Z uprising' is only truly newsworthy when it isn't inconvenient for major media narratives or state department allies.