Michael Arceneaux, Guest Columnist

Gaza Conflict Proves That X and Meta Are Publishers Too

If Musk and Zuckerberg don't want the responsibility of delivering vetted news in the digital age, then developers of new virtual public squares can't use their sites as a blueprint.

October 19, 2023 at 11:00 AM UTC

By Michael Arceneaux

Michael Arceneaux writes about pop culture, politics, race, sexuality, religion, class and gender. He is the author of "I Don’t Want To Die Poor" and "I Can’t Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons I’ve Put My Faith in Beyoncé."

Sharing, liking and posting have real-life consequences.
Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

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The Hamas-Israel conflict is unfolding after social media developers spent the summer trying to replace X (then-Twitter).

It might seem like the near-comical rush to be the next big virtual gathering space has nothing to do with a violent crisis that has significant geopolitical consequences. But in an era where 5 billion people worldwide turn to apps such as X, Facebook, Instagram and now Threads to stay informed during breaking news, the virtual world is intrinsically linked to the real one.