Israel s occupation has been transformed in the social media age. Over the last decade, military rule in the Palestinian territories grew more bloody and entrenched. In the same period, Israelis became some of the world s most active social media users. In Israel today, violent politics are interwoven with global networking practices, protocols, and aesthetics. Israeli soldiers carry smartphones into the field of military operations, sharing mobile uploads in real-time. Official Israeli military spokesmen announce wars on Twitter. And civilians encounter state violence first on their newsfeeds and mobile screens.
Across the globe, the ordinary tools of social networking have become indispensable instruments of warfare and violent conflict. This book traces the rise of Israeli digital militarism in this global context both the reach of social media into Israeli military theaters and the occupation s impact on everyday Israeli social media culture. Today, social media functions as a c
This article was originally published on The Conversation.
Netflix is known for unleashing a whole series in one go, often provoking a mass entertainment feeding frenzy as people binge-watch entire seasons in one sitting. Think about the period drama Bridgerton, dished out on a single online viewing plate (quite aptly) on Christmas Day, 2020. All good for viewing figures.
But does a quick and intense experience necessarily leave a lasting mark? Or do audiences simply move onto the next new thing, the show and its discussions quickly forgotten amongst the internet clutter of words and memes? Shows like Disney s The Mandalorian have proved that delivering episodes to an entertainment-hungry nation in small tantalising viewing snacks is equally as effective as the all-you-can-watch feast. Audiences want to be tickled and teased.