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Bisan Owda's TikTok Account Gets Restored
Outcry and Advocacy Lead to Reinstatement of Gaza-Based Journalist’s Social Media Platform Presence
- Publish date: since 21 hour Reading time: two min read
Palestinian journalist and content creator Bisan Owda has regained access to her TikTok account, which boasts around 1.4 million followers, after it was unexpectedly removed earlier this week, sparking widespread criticism and advocacy from followers, media organisations and rights groups.
Owda, an award-winning journalist based in Gaza known for her daily video updates documenting life in the war-torn territory, announced the account’s restoration one day after she reported its removal.
The removal of Owda’s account prompted significant backlash across social media and traditional news outlets, with supporters and press freedom advocates arguing the ban threatened independent reporting and the visibility of voices from conflict zones. Many pointed to the outcry as a key factor behind TikTok’s decision to reinstate her account.
Despite the restoration, Owda has noted that some content on her profile remains restricted — with numerous videos now marked as “ineligible for recommendation”, limiting their visibility and reach across the platform.
Owda’s videos, where she often begins with the phrase, “It’s Bisan from Gaza, and I’m still alive”,have attracted global attention by putting a human face on the realities of life amid conflict. Her presence on social media has helped connect international audiences to daily life in Gaza, bridging gaps in reporting from the region.
The temporary removal of her account highlighted ongoing debates about content moderation and platform governance, particularly after recent changes in TikTok’s ownership and policy structure. While details surrounding the original removal have not been fully disclosed by the platform, the reinstatement comes amid intensified scrutiny over how social networks manage politically sensitive content.
Owda’s reinstated TikTok presence marks a temporary victory for digital expression advocates, though broader concerns about algorithmic visibility and restrictions on posts covering sensitive issues remain part of the larger conversation about social media and journalism in conflict zones.