Hizbullah and Hamas supporters have been using TikTok, a popular short-form mobile video platform, to share videos, songs, and messages in support of the terror groups and the late general of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force Qassem Soleimani and for Hamas's military wing, the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades.
TikTok's community guidelines state: "We do not allow dangerous individuals or organizations to use our platform to promote terrorism, crime, or other types of behavior that could cause harm... Terrorists and terrorist organizations are any non-state actors that use premeditated violence or threats of violence to cause harm to non-combatant individuals, in order to intimidate or threaten a population, government, or international organization in the pursuit of political, religious, ethnic, or ideological objectives."[1]
The following report will examine some examples of pro-Hizbullah and pro-Hamas content on TikTok.
Pro-Hizbullah Posts On TikTok
One TikTok user posted a video memorializing dead Hizbullah fighters.
Another user posted a video showing an image of a Hizbullah fighter carrying a rifle as a pro-Hizbullah song plays in the background.
One user's username is an Arabic transliteration of Hizbullah.
A user posted a pro-Hizbullah video that shows fighters in combat and text that reads: "Mahdi is my imam."
One user's profile picture features the late Qassem Soleimani. The user has posted several videos featuring Soleimani as well.
A user posted a video from a Hizbullah rally. The hashtags read: "Freemen against Normalization – Martyr of Al-Quds – Al-Quds is the path of martyrs."
One user, possibly Lebanese, posted a video featuring armed Hizbullah fighters, and wrote: "May Allah protect you, you are the source of pride for Arabs."
A user posted a video of someone drawing a picture of Qassem Soleimani. One of the hashtags used with this video is #Hizbullah.
Tiktok Posts On Hamas And The Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades
A hashtag search in Arabic for "Izz-ad-din Al Qassam Brigades" shows the phrase has over 680,000 views. There are many users and videos associated with the phrase in English as well.
One user's profile picture features Hamas fighters and his profile includes many pro-Hamas videos featuring fighters.
A user uploaded a video apparently from a Hamas event.
One user posted a video showing two masked fighters and a watch and keychain featuring the emblem of the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades. The hashtags read: "Lovers of Al-Aqsa – Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades – Nablus, Ramallah, Al-Khalil, Jenin – Tulkarm – Al-Quds, Bethlehem – Ahmad Yasin – Palestine – Al-Qassam brigades."
One user uploaded a pro-Al-Qassam Brigades video in which the group showcased missiles and other weapons. A song glorifying the group plays in the background.
The same user posted a video eulogizing fallen fighters. The text reads: "The unstoppable pulse of Gaza circulates in the blood of those who are free."
A user who appears to be a young boy, superimposed photos of himself in the foreground of two pro-Hamas videos. In both videos he is wearing a Hamas headband, and in one he is holding a toy gun.
An account dedicated to Hamas, which has almost 2000 followers, has Hamas fighters in its profile picture.
A user has many Al-Qassam Brigades videos on his account.
A user posted a video featuring a fighter and text that reads: "Tell those who are waiting for us to fall that we will remain standing longer than their lives."
Another video by a user was accompanied by a song praising the group, showing Al-Qassam Brigades members marching and performing military drills.
Another video from the user shows a clip with text that reads: "An internal conflict inside the eyes between the fatigue and [love of] country."
The full text of this report is available to MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor subscribers.
Subscription information is available at this link.
JTTM subscribers can visit this page to view the report.
[1] Tiktok.com/community-guidelines?lang=en, accessed May 27, 2020.
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