Abstract
This thesis examines the spread of false and misleading information (FMI) on Telegram and its influence on American perceptions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after the start of the October 7th War. It explores the relationship between FMI from Telegram and online engagement with information about the conflict by using 1. qualitative content analysis of Telegram channels reporting on the war’s developments, and 2. Google Trends data on U.S. search-term activity relating to the FMI that was analyzed. It argues that Telegram's unique features, such as its lack of content moderation and the way its algorithms suggest related channels, make it a very useful tool through which bad-faith actors can amplify their harmful narratives without consequences. Although this thesis stops short of establishing a direct causal relationship, the research conducted does show the growing national security risk of unregulated social media ecosystems, especially in democratic societies like the US, where citizens rely on information from a free, uncensored press and (increasingly) their social media feeds to inform themselves and guide the country’s political decisions. It concludes with platform-level recommendations for countering the spread of FMI originating from Telegram.