When the Internet Goes Dark, the Truth Goes With It
#Gaza journalism #Internet blackout #Media access #Social media documentation #Journalist safety #Conflict reporting #Truth-telling #Censorship
📌 Key Takeaways
- Palestinian journalists have primarily documented Gaza conflict due to Israeli media restrictions
- Internet blackouts in Iran limit verification of human rights abuses
- Over 220 journalists killed in Gaza since October 2023
- Social media is crucial but precarious for conflict journalism
- First-hand testimony from local journalists is essential for accurate documentation
📖 Full Retelling
Palestinian journalist Plestia Alaqad discussed the challenges of bearing witness in conflict zones and the fragile power of social media in an interview published on March 2, 2026, as internet blackouts in Iran and restrictions on media access in Gaza continue to threaten the documentation of lived reality amid escalating violence and censorship. Alaqad, who gained international recognition for her reporting from amidst the destruction of Gaza while wearing a press vest and helmet, highlighted how Palestinian journalists have borne the burden of documenting the conflict since Israel barred international journalists from entering the territory in October 2023. The situation has reached critical levels with Reporters Without Borders reporting that 67 media professionals were killed in 2025 alone, 43 percent in Gaza by Israeli armed forces, bringing the total death toll for journalists in Gaza since October 2023 to over 220 according to RSF estimates. The journalist emphasized that when communication breaks down during crises, accountability is lost and injustice becomes easier to ignore, stating 'Injustice is super loud. Justice needs to be louder.' The article also examines Iran's near-total media blackout that began on January 8, 2026, affecting 90 million people and making it difficult to verify the death toll from government crackdowns on protests, with estimates ranging from 3,000 to 30,000 dead. Despite the risks and challenges, Alaqad maintains that the power of the people sharing information is greater than any algorithm or censorship, though she stresses the importance of authentic voices from affected communities rather than others speaking over them.
🏷️ Themes
Media censorship, Conflict journalism, Digital rights, Human rights documentation
📚 Related People & Topics
Internet outage
Loss of internet functionality over a small or large area
An Internet outage, Internet blackout, or Internet shutdown is the complete or partial failure of the internet services. It can occur due to censorship, cyberattacks, disasters, police or security services actions, or errors. Disruptions of submarine communications cables may cause blackouts or slow...
Safety of journalists
Safety of journalists is the ability of journalists and media professionals to receive, produce and share information without facing physical or moral threats. Journalists can face violence and intimidation for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of expression. The range of threats they ar...
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Original Source
Carla Sertin Politics Mar 2, 2026 5:30 AM When the Internet Goes Dark, the Truth Goes With It Palestinian journalist Plestia Alaqad on bearing witness, the fragile power of social media, and why documenting lived reality matters more than ever. Photograph: Rohit Sabu Save this story Save this story Plestia Alaqad is known to millions of people as an image on a screen: a young Palestinian journalist in a press vest and helmet, standing amidst the destruction of Gaza , speaking to the camera in between airstrikes. She is one of many. The burden of witnessing and reporting events in Gaza has been almost exclusively carried by Palestinian journalists, as Israel has barred international journalists from entering the territory and reporting on the war since October 2023 . In limited cases, journalists have been allowed to enter under controlled conditions, escorted by the Israeli army. Reporters like Alaqad began reaching millions of people through social media, which has been widely credited with turning the tide of opinion outside of the Middle East. “I believe everyone now knows how powerful social media is, and we’ve seen that firsthand in the genocide that is happening in Gaza, in Palestine,” Alaqad says. “It’s because of us citizen journalists reporting on what’s happening using social media.” Nearly two years after clashes reignited, with 72,045 Palestinians killed according to local authorities, an independent UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, a finding that the Israeli foreign ministry has dismissed as “distorted and false.” Alaqad says the situation is not only about Palestinians, but about what kind of world people are willing to accept. “What’s happening in Iran, in Congo, in Sudan shouldn’t be accepted, because none of us should be OK to live in a world where violence exists.” In Iran, a media blackout instated on January 8, 2026 has affected 90 million people , leaving locals disconnected from the rest of the worl...
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