Parents in Israel warned to delete social media apps with brutal videos on the rise

Schools in Israel are warning parents to remove TikTok, Instagram, and other social media apps from kids’ mobile phones in anticipation of Hamas posting videos with hostages being killed. Violent videos have already been circulating since the start of the Hamas attacks on the weekend.

Users on X are sharing messages from Jewish schools urging parents to restrict social media usage as disturbing material spreads and raises concerns that they could cause distress, the BBC reported.

“Dear Parents, it has been brought to our attention that videos of hostages begging for their lives will soon be released. Please remove the TikTok and Instagram apps from your children's mobile phones,” one message reads.

The warnings now are circulating worldwide, including in the US and UK, as the principal of The Frisch School in Paramus, New Jersey, also sent similar warnings.

“Local psychologists have reached out to us and informed us that the Israeli government is urging parents to tell their children to delete Instagram and TikTok immediately,” an email sent to the school Tuesday morning from its principal, Rabbi Eli Ciner, reads, as seen by The Times of Israel. “We strongly advise our students to do the same as soon as possible.”

Some users argued that the advice to delete social media apps from kids' phones was good, regardless of the situation.

The European Union (EU) has sent a letter to Elon Musk, the owner of social media site X, warning that the platform was allowing illegal content and disinformation to spread.

Criticism of social media apps is now coming from both sides, as the fight against disturbing images of hostages or war events is considered as censorship by some.

After Hamas’ surprise attacks, at least 1,200 people were killed and thousands more injured, according to current estimations shared by CNN. As many as 150 people may be held as hostages by the militants in Gaza. Nearly 1,200 Palestinian people have been killed in airstrikes so far.