Throughout history, occupied peoples have used symbols, language, storytelling, and anthems as tools to protect their identity from being erased by the colonizer’s narrative.
As methods of control evolved and the battle shifted to the digital realm, it became imperative for cultural and media activists to develop new tools and modes of expression suited to an environment where the platforms themselves have become part of the machinery of domination.
Resistant creativity in the digital age cannot be separated from the political reality. It is the product of a collective consciousness striving to preserve the original narrative from marginalization and distortion. It is also a form of “circumvention” of content classification systems that do not recognize the justice of causes but instead measure the legitimacy of discourse by biased and opaque standards.
In our present time, as platforms have become arenas of subtle censorship, writer and playwright Hassan Qteish shares his experience in creating resistant content on the "Bal Amelya" page; where symbols, and the blend of satire with seriousness, converge to produce a form of creativity that circumvents censorship to reach audiences and say what many dare not express.
During the First Intifada, graffiti writings spread as a form of symbolic resistance that transcended Israeli military censorship. Movements also turned to local, coded anthems that echoed the suffering and expressed steadfastness in identity, using symbolic names for figures and martyrs in an attempt to evade direct targeting.
Under the strict censorship within the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries, artists and writers developed what became known as the underground language (Samizdat): a method of secretly and covertly distributing books and articles, often through handwritten copies. They also resorted to cultural coding; for example, producing films that appeared to be about love on the surface but deeply conveyed the oppression of the state.
During World War II, codes emerged as a central tool in the conflict between nations. Armies used encrypted messages to protect military plans, most notably the Enigma machine employed by the Nazis, which British intelligence, led by Alan Turing, successfully deciphered, changing the course of the war. At the same time, military forces in France and Eastern Europe used symbols in underground newspapers to convey messages without being detected by fascist regimes.
During the Israeli wars on Gaza and Lebanon, platforms like Instagram and Facebook imposed strict restrictions on content supporting the resistance. As a result, social media users and content creators resorted to replacing many banned words with symbols, such as the watermelon slice to represent Palestine and the Anemone flower to symbolize martyrs. They also altered the spelling and pronunciation of certain words by inserting foreign letters, for example, modifying the word "resistance", to evade detection by algorithms.
The Arab Spring revolutions witnessed an unprecedented reliance on social media platforms. As censorship intensified, visual symbols and coded hashtags began to emerge, such as the use of hashtags with symbolic names or sharing images without clear captions to bypass restrictions. This period also saw the rise of “meme activism,” where satirical images were employed as encrypted tools to critique regimes without falling victim to censorship.
After the events of September 11, any reference to resistance—especially Islamic resistance—became subject to global criminalization. This led to the emergence of a dual discourse in some media outlets, where religious or cultural coding was used to allude to political struggles. Alternative websites and forums became arenas for this evolving language that evaded early Western surveillance algorithms.
To get their messages across, content creators have had to think outside the box and use various creative methods. Hassan, in his discussion, shares several innovative techniques he developed and employed on the “Bal Amelya” page to deliver his message effectively. These methods can be categorized as follows:
Omission
Symbolism
Encoding
The visual symbols used by resistance media fall under what is known as semiotics, the study of signs and symbols produced by communities to communicate within their culture and environment. Icons that appear in this type of content, such as the red circle or the inverted triangle, are not merely visual elements; they are cultural acts par excellence and tools that generate meaning and build a collective memory of resistance within a hostile digital environment.
These symbols embed meaning deeply in the audience’s mind without the need for direct explanation, establishing a secret and dynamic connection between sender and receiver within a shared social and cultural context. As symbolic beings, humans have an innate ability to transform signs into alternative languages, enabling messages to bypass oppressive censorship systems. Thus, an image or symbol becomes a language of resistance carrying layered meanings, testimonies, and hidden narratives that are difficult to erase or neutralize.
A visual symbol inspired by the war media videos of the Islamic resistance in Lebanon, originally used to mark hostile military targets. Over time, it transformed into an icon representing the presence and effectiveness of the resistance, and has since been adopted in digital content as a symbol expressing resistance without the need for words or direct explanation.
The inverted triangle first appeared in videos showcasing precise targeting by the Al-Qassam Brigades, where it was used to mark enemy positions on screen. Over time, this shape became a distinctive emblem of Al-Qassam and later evolved into a popular symbol of resistance in Palestine. It is widely circulated in posts, designs, and even graffiti art as an icon representing the precision of action and the dignity of retaliation.
The watermelon symbol emerged as a visual substitute for the Palestinian flag after the flag itself became a target of digital censorship. Carrying the same colors as the flag (red, black, green, and white) and a cultural symbolism tied to Palestinian identity, the watermelon transformed into a resistance code. It is widely used in designs, posts, and even digital stories to signify national identity and the cause. The symbol has spread extensively and is embraced by activists and protesters around the world.
Design here is not merely an aesthetic choice; it is a conscious and purposeful act that carries a political stance and an encoded cultural message.
In the following segment, designer Ali Bassam shares his insights on the logos that accompanied the recent war, and how these symbols were shaped within a visual resistance context. Drawing from popular memory and political culture as its core materials, this design crafts a discourse capable of withstanding both algorithms and oblivion.
The starting point for any resistant content is not just the message itself, but understanding how to deliver that message to its audience. Thinking about the target audience is not a mere detail, it is a fundamental part of the work: “How do I reach them?” this is the essential question. Hassan explains that just as a content creator can benefit from melodies deeply rooted in popular memory, they can also make use of trending topics circulating online, repurposing them in ways that serve their cause without being excluded from the digital space. Rather than confronting algorithms head-on, he invests in popular formats: traditional videos, familiar styles, or viral sounds, then embeds within them a different content carrying a stance, idea, or critique. This approach hides the message within an expected mold, allowing it to reach the audience without being detected or deleted. This kind of work doesn’t mean following trends superficially, but rather transforming them into a smart tool to penetrate digital consciousness and redirect messages through familiar templates that feel relatable to the viewer while carrying new meanings beneath the surface.
To effectively deliver these messages, keeping up with trends wasn’t the only strategy. Circumstances also compelled designers to turn to the fastest and most advanced tool of our time: artificial intelligence. Designer Ali Bassam shares how they employed AI tools to create this type of content.