TikTok Bans Calling Israeli Forces ‘Terrorists’ Days After Hiring Former Soldier and “Proud Zionist”
Los Angeles (Quds News Network)- TikTok has updated its guidelines to include a ban on referring to Israeli forces as “terrorists,” just days after hiring a former Israeli soldier and self-described “proud Zionist” to fight antisemitism. The move comes as Israel continues its genocide and starvation in Gaza with images and videos showing emaciated children, relentless bombardment, and widespread destruction flooding social media platforms.
Activists on X have reported the ban, which “violates community guidelines”, noting that this came just 15 days after the social media platform TikTok appointed Erica Mindel, as its new Public Policy Manager for Hate Speech.
TikTok updated its guidelines 15 days after hiring a “former IDF soldier & proud Zionist” to fight antisemitism.
Calling the IDF terrorists now violates community guidelines.
They also changed “all racial supremacy” as hate speech to only “White supremacy.” pic.twitter.com/jOeOsoRLwT
— Wally Rashid (@wallyrashid) August 14, 2025
She is tasked with shaping the company’s hate speech policy and serving as TikTok’s internal and external expert on antisemitism, according to her LinkedIn profile and job description.
Mindal joined the Israeli military, where she spent two and a half years as a madrichot shirion – an instructor in the Armored Corps. “I am a proud American Jew,” she said.
NEW: 🚨🇮🇱
TikTok is enforcing new speech laws.
They’re banning users from calling the IDF “terrorists” and now the only supremacy that can be called out on TikTok is “White supremacy.”
This comes just 15 days after they hired Erica Mindel, former IDF and “proud Zionist,” as… pic.twitter.com/VgD813rxhd
— ADAM (@AdameMedia) August 23, 2025
