Osama bin Laden’s two-decades-old “Letter to America” has unexpectedly resurfaced on TikTok, capturing the attention of a new generation amid discussions on the Israel-Hamas conflict. The letter, which attempted to justify the 9/11 terror attacks, gained traction as some users drew parallels between bin Laden’s criticisms of U.S. support for Israel’s occupation and the ongoing Middle East situation.
In a TikTok video garnering over 900,000 views, a user claimed that “everything we learned about the Middle East, 9/11, and ‘terrorism’ was a lie.” The hashtag #lettertoamerica amassed over 14 million views, leading TikTok to address the issue. The platform stated, “Content promoting this letter clearly violates our rules on supporting any form of terrorism. We are proactively and aggressively removing this content and investigating how it got onto our platform.”
Despite the controversy, TikTok clarified that the content did not reflect a widespread trend, emphasizing that the number of videos related to the letter was small. The phrase “#lettertoamerica” became unsearchable on the app due to guideline violations.
This incident adds to TikTok’s history of controversies, and the platform has faced criticism for alleged bias in content moderation. The company defended itself by highlighting polling data indicating younger demographics’ increased sympathy toward Palestinians.
Bin Laden’s letter gained traction after users discovered a translated copy published by The Guardian in 2002. However, The Guardian removed the letter on November 15, citing the need to provide full context. The letter justified civilian killings, referencing reported violence against Muslims and accusing the U.S. of hypocrisy regarding Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
As TikTok grapples with the aftermath of this controversy, the incident highlights the platform’s role in facilitating discussions, even those surrounding sensitive and historical events. The resurfacing of bin Laden’s letter underscores the ongoing impact of past events on current conversations, prompting scrutiny over how such content is handled in online spaces.
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