TikTok removed the hashtag #lettertoamerica from their search function after videos about Osama bin Laden’s 2002 “Letter to America” went viral on the platform and were re-uploaded to the social media platform X.
Some social media users suggested that the Al Qaeda founder’s document gives an alternative perspective about the US’ involvement in conflicts in the Middle East.
Throughout the week, TikTok users had been sharing the link to The Guardian’s transcript of Osama's letter, which was written about a year after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and which killed nearly 3,000 people in the US. The Guardian took the letter down from their website Wednesday.
In the letter, Osama addressed the American people and sought to answer the following questions: “Why are we fighting and opposing you?” and “What are we calling you to, and what do we want from you?”
The letter condemns US support for Israel and accuses Americans of aiding the oppression of Palestinian people as well as denouncing US interventions in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Lebanon.
People online have used Osama's words as a springboard for discussion about American foreign policy in the Middle East. Many have said it caused them to re-evaluate their beliefs around the US wars of intervention. Still, while people were critical of US involvement in global conflicts, many clarified that they were not praising or defending Osama's orchestration of the 9/11 attacks.
It has been claimed that references to Osama bin Laden on X jumped more than 4,300%, from Tuesday to Thursday, from just over 5,000 to more than 230,000. References to “Letter to America” jumped more than 1,800%, from just over 4,800 to 100,000, with 719 million impressions across the platform.
On YouTube, searches for Osama also jumped 400% from Tuesday to Thursday, according to Google Trends. Instagram’s autosuggest function in search assisted users in finding “Letter to America”, listing it as a “popular search”.
I saw this Facebook post by Morgan on "Understanding China" three days ago.
"China should give her more tender love.
She's been behaving like an insecure bitch". 😂😂😂
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