A pressão das redes sociais e o posicionamento de empresas globais no conflito Israel-Palestina

Abstract

This study aims to analyze how social media platforms pressure and influence the positioning and strategies of multinational corporations in contexts of geopolitical crisis, using as a case study the boycott episode involving McDonald’s during the Israel–Palestine conflict between October 2023 and April 2024. The research is based on the understanding that the expansion of digital platforms has transformed the contemporary public sphere, increasing the circulation of discourses, transnational mobilizations, and pressures directed even at private actors. In this context, the study seeks to understand how online viralization dynamics influence public perceptions regarding corporate legitimacy and responsibility. The research adopts a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive approach, grounded in constructivism and debates on network communication. Methodologically, it employs the expanded single case study method, articulated with documentary analysis and digital content analysis, based on materials collected from platforms such as X (Twitter) and Instagram, as well as news reports. Finally, this study argues that multinational corporations are increasingly exposed to political and moral disputes in digital environments. In this scenario, legitimacy, reputation, and corporate positioning are constantly reinterpreted through the circulation of discourses and online mobilization processes.