• Tuesday, November 7, on TikTok. a content creator, Louise Jourdan, has created a filter called "Filter for good". It consists of a mini-game where you have to help a watermelon find its seeds. From the beginning, the graphic designer explained that all the monetization of this filter will be donated to associations to help Palestine.
  • Since then, it's been a success. Used nearly 6.2 million times, Louise Jourdan has been able to raise nearly $11,000 so far. The maximum sum set by the platform is $14,000 per item.
  • Watermelon is not a new symbol born on the social network and has been used for years to defend the Palestinian cause.

On TikTok, for several days now, it has been impossible to miss the watermelon game. Not necessarily a seasonal fruit, your market gardener will be worried. No problem here my Jean-Louis, the summer fruit takes on a very political nature than usual. A simple mini-game to collect glitches on videos, the trend is taking on a humanitarian aspect to help Palestine, in the current war between Hamas and Israel.

The story began on November 7 on the account of "xojourdanlouise" when the graphic designer specializing in augmented reality published a new video to unveil her project. She explains that she is part of the "Effect Creator Rewards" program, which pays its members according to the number of videos published. "I created this 'Filter for good' effect and will donate the awards to charities that are providing aid in Gaza. I know many of us don't know how to help, but it can be as simple as posting a video with this filter."

$12,500 raised

The filter in question: a watermelon, a curved path, seeds. The trick is to help the fruit find its seeds. Hyper visual, super easy to use and above all super useful according to users. "Thank you, we didn't know how to help," one comment often reads. Very quickly, the filter surpassed the success expected by the designer. Initially, it was expecting 200,000 posts, at which point the filter can start to be rewarded. A week later, the videos surpassed 6.2 million posts, totaling $12,500 (about 11,000 euros).

But the figure could only increase in a matter of hours because TikTok's stats take at least 24 hours to update. According to the "Effect Creator Rewards" program, the designer will be eligible to receive a total of $14,000 for her effect. This suggests that the maximum objective will be reached in the next few hours. As for the question of donations, the content creator is now opting for a donation to the NGO Doctors Without Borders and for the purchase of Esims, a digital SIM card. "The purchase of eSims allows Gazans to connect with the outside world to communicate with their families and also to show what is happening in Gaza," explains the site mentioned by the content creator.

A Historical Symbol

The symbolism of watermelon is not new here, however. Historically, the green, red and black colors of the fruit have been compared to those of the Palestinian flag. In places where the Palestinian flag is banned, such as in Israel, watermelon becomes a hidden solution to show support. On social media, many photos of watermelons are published with the hashtags #FreePalestine or #aSliceOfHope as descriptions.

In reality, this first watermelon-flavored resistance dates back to the Six-Day War, in June 1967, we learn on the media The Conversation. As Israel takes control of Jerusalem, the first watermelons appear at the heart of the protests to show support for Palestine. In addition to the colors, the symbol is said to be closely linked to the food sovereignty imposed by the Israeli government on Palestinian farmers during the first intifada. If watermelon represented much more at the time, today it participates in a pacifist struggle to show its support on social networks.

  • Tech
  • By the Web
  • TikTok
  • Hamas
  • Palestine
  • Gaza
  • Israel