Israeli teenage returnees narrating trauma on TikTok: Platformed identity after captivity in Gaza

This study examines how former teenage hostages use TikTok to process and present their captivity and its aftermath. Through a qualitative thematic analysis of 67 TikTok videos created by adolescent survivors of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the study explores how platform-specific affordances—viral trends, POV storytelling, dark humor, and digital memorialization—shape trauma narratives. Findings reveal that TikTok enables young survivors to renegotiate their post-captivity identities through participatory storytelling, humor as a coping mechanism, and the integration of personal grief into collective digital memory. The study situates these practices within theories of trauma representation, adolescent identity development, and Goffman’s dramaturgical model, illustrating how TikTok serves as both a space for self-expression and a site of performative meaning-making. By bridging digital media studies with trauma psychology, this research highlights the evolving role of social media in shaping adolescent resilience and identity reconstruction.