Social Media Flooded with Misinformation and Conspiracy Theories Amidst Israel-Hamas Conflict

Social media is awash in misinformation, out-of-context videos, and conspiracy theories about the Israel-Hamas conflict, which exploit the information vacuum to promote division and confusion. State actors like Iran and Russia are seizing on the chaos to spread propaganda and disinformation to further their goals. False claims are also being used to advance political agendas in the U.S. Twitter has become a hotbed for bogus claims and videos, as Elon Musk has removed guardrails against misinformation. Musk recommended accounts that have spread false claims before, giving them an air of credibility. Paid "verified" accounts have an incentive to maximize views through sensationalized posts.