New York circa 1970’s was a wild frontier. Being an also-wild 20-something, I enrolled in a class on subliminal advertising. I identified airbrushed skulls in liquor ice cubes, S-E-X written on cereal box flakes, and an emaciated nude woman sailing through the stream of a Perrier water bottle being poured.
I was good, very good. A “natural." Best in class and even better at spotting the anomalies than my professor. We were told how effective these “tools" were for influencing purchasing decisions and enforcing already existing attitudes.
Fast forward to November, 1987. As Intifada media coverage unfolded, I noticed similar techniques being used to intentionally cast Israel, and only Israel, within the most heinous templates. Day after day, the headlines, photos and sub-captions were intentionally crafted to emotionally impact the casual reader. Television news clips framed shots-such as placing a crying infant girl on the road as Israeli soldiers marched by. Radio and TV blared, “Israel kills" and Israeli soldiers kill" while Arab violence was minimized and written without the subject, as “Bomb Explodes, 6 dead."
Every Palestinian Arab man was a “youth." Every Arab child wanted to grow up to be a doctor. Stunned, I began collecting as many visuals as I could. I exposed their templates, created a slide show-pre-internet!-- and took my show on the road, in the US and in Israel.
No one could deny my premises. But what I never expected was the apathy from Jewish leaders and heads of organizations. Israeli hasbarah officials were not galvanized to even react in this Media War. Meanwhile, Israeli was plummeting in world opinion, with real life consequences.
That was then. Here’s what’s now. Fasten your seatbelt.
Since the October 7th tragedy, I’ve plunged back into the world of media madness. I monitor platforms of men and women with millions of viewers, in the “independent Truth Community." Men and women I once respected. Like dominos falling, each became persuaded to parrot all the vicious tropes and memes against Jews and Israel.
I was pretty much a lone soldier back in the Intifada days. Now there are good people and organizations, usually well-funded and well-meaning, also taking the fight to important levels. But they are failing, and no one knows why. I think I do.
You see, I also research the global world and its technology. And what I can share is concerning. AI has infiltrated our abilities to remain fair and balanced. Algorithms thread bias content like a skilled weaver. Your phones and computers read your thoughts and transmit them back to data centers. These technologies can change your minds and your habits. Your worldview is subtly shaped through frequencies. This is 5th Generation Warfare, the “Battle for the Mind." Our good-faith attempts to control the media assault are negligible against the proven effects of neuroscience.
The power of AI and its misuse negates all efforts to present Israel’s important messages. Deep Fakes and created content are unquestioned. General audiences don’t care and don’t want to question their authenticity. “Confirmation bias" takes over, where people seek only the news or videos that already support their prejudices. This has produced a tsunami of pure hatred against Jews and Israel. Goebbels on steroids, and it is truly worldwide..
For every ugly meme or video taken down in social media, thousands replace it. For every excellent rebuttal article by our finest writers and pundits, new censorship is introduced. The desecration of G-d’s name-Chillul Hashem-is being flaunted like never before in human history. This has empowered even more freedom for Jew and Israel haters to up their ante-there are no consequences for their vitriol, so the hysteria escalates.
But while we are increasingly helpless to stop the technological takeover of our news media and platforms, do not despair. There is a G-d and a Torah that predicted these very days. Exactly. Specifically. Our “stiff-necked" Jewish family chose the hard way to Redemption, but it is coming to us, kicking and screaming. I’m sorry the world exults in our perceived downfall, but the shame will be on them. Do T’shuvah, do your best in the media propaganda war, and love yourself, your family and your fellow travelers. We can’t win this war, but we can change its spiritual dynamic. Pray!
Patty (Tasha) Vinikow, Independent Media Research Analyst, has spent over 35 years exposing the techniques used by electronic and print media which intentionally distort coverage of Israel and the Jewish people. She was Pacific NW Regional Direct of CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Coverage in America), and editorial staff for Israeli politicians. A synopsis of her work was distributed to Members of Congress in 1990 and to second President George Bush in Israel. Her lectures and media interviews were widely lauded on college campuses, Israel-focused organizations, and to the public in Israel and the US.