Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
An Ivy League-educated social media influencer has expressed worries about the content on TikTok, suggesting it has taken a concerning turn since the conflict in Israel.
Zach Sage Fox, a comedian and TikTok star, has gone as far as to re-label Gen Z as “Generation Terrorism,” reflecting his concerns about the platform’s content during an interview with Fox News.
College campuses across the U.S. have seen a surge in anti-Israel sentiment among younger Americans, with notable increases in protests and hate speech on social media platforms like TikTok.
TikTok has emerged as a significant source of news and information for young people, with a Pew Research Center study indicating that a significant percentage of Americans between 18 and 29-years-old rely on the platform for news.
While acknowledging the potential benefits of platforms like TikTok, Fox also highlights the prevalence of misinformation, particularly regarding issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Holocaust.
In response to these concerns, Fox has redirected his platform to combat antisemitism and anti-Israel propaganda, reflecting his personal commitment to preventing atrocities like the Holocaust from happening again.
Fox’s determination to combat hate speech stems from a promise he made to a Holocaust survivor during a visit to Auschwitz, underscoring the deeply personal nature of his advocacy.
Fox expresses empathy for younger generations, describing them as impressionable and expressing concern that they may be influenced by misinformation and hate speech online.
While conflicted due to his success on TikTok, Fox ultimately calls for greater regulation of the platform, suggesting that it may need to be sold to an American company to facilitate better oversight.