Title: Pro-Israel Propaganda Videos Targeted at Children on Mobile Games Spark Outrage
In a shocking incident, Maria Julia Assis’s 6-year-old son was exposed to disturbing graphic footage while playing a puzzle game on his phone at their home in London. The interruption came in the form of a video showcasing Hamas militants, terrified Israeli families, and blurred images of violence. Assis’s son was visibly shaken and ran to his mother, questioning the presence of such a gory ad on his phone, which he had not clicked on.
The distressing images, which Reuters has chosen not to display, left Assis’s son deeply disturbed, prompting her to swiftly delete the game from his device. Unfortunately, her family’s experience is not an isolated incident. Reuters has uncovered at least five similar cases across Europe, where young gamers, including children, were subjected to the same pro-Israel video.
The origin of these ads remains unclear, and Reuters has been unable to determine how the ad infiltrated Assis’s son’s video game. In one instance, the ads appeared within the popular game “Angry Birds.” Rovio, the developer of the game, confirmed that these graphic ads were mistakenly included and were now being manually blocked.
David Saranga, the head of digital at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acknowledged that the video was a government-promoted ad. However, he expressed ignorance about how it ended up being featured in various games. Saranga explained that the footage was part of a broader advocacy campaign by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which has invested $1.5 million in internet ads since Hamas’s attack on civilians in southern Israel in October 7, triggering the conflict in Gaza.
Nancy Snow, a Communications Professor at California State University, highlighted that these pro-Israel ads are part of the government’s strategy to shape the narrative of the war. Israel has been known for its use of digital diplomacy and engaging in a public opinion battle on a global scale. The objective is to influence public perception in favor of their position.
In an attempt to trace the source of the ad in the video games, Reuters reached out to 43 advertising firms listed as “third-party data partners” by Rovio. Twelve of these partners, including Amazon and Pinterest, responded, denying any responsibility for the appearance of the ad on Angry Birds.
While Reuters found minimal evidence of a similar Palestinian digital advertising effort, except for a few Arabic-language videos promoted by Palestine TV, an affiliated news agency with the Palestinian Authority, it is clear that rules regarding advertisements vary by country.
In Assis’s home country of Britain, the Advertising Standards Authority oversees publicity campaigns. While no specific investigation into Israeli government ads is currently underway, the authority emphasizes that any advertisement featuring graphic imagery should be carefully targeted away from individuals under the age of 18.
Assis expressed her concern about exposing her son to such content, as he has started asking about the children being killed in the conflict. Addressing this complex subject with a young child is challenging, and she questions the appropriateness of advertising propaganda within games, even if they are intended for adult audiences.
The incident has sparked outrage among parents and activists, who are calling for stricter regulations and safeguards to prevent children from being exposed to disturbing content while innocently playing mobile games.