The Watermelon: Generation TikTok leads the way with a new form of protest

Using the watermelon in place of the flag helps avoid algorithmic censorship from social media companies like X or TikTok.

Palestinians inspect the damage of residential buildings after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip.

SCROLLING through your social media feeds in the last few weeks, you may have spotted a rise of one specific emoji — the watermelon.

It has filled comment sections on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and has been pasted into replies to some of the biggest names and events on the planet.