The controversy over TikTok and Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America,” explained

This week, videos featuring former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s 2002 missive “Letter to America” were posted to TikTok, leading a wide swath of politicians, families of 9/11 victims, and influencers to condemn users creating the clips — and the app itself.

The story goes like this: TikTokers are “going viral” for sharing bin Laden’s arguments, and that is renewing calls to ban the app and feeding a recent fear that TikTok is indoctrinating Gen Z with pro-Hamas propaganda. The issue is, that story’s not fully true. While some TikTokers really were posting videos urging others to read the letter…