Resumen:
The war in Syria has been covered extensively in the media. Yet, it seems the conflict had all but been forgotten when the story of Bana Alabed surfaced on Twitter. Deploying digital media for human rights activism is not new, particularly in the context of the Arab Spring and subsequent upheaval in the Middle East, online and offline. This article explores how Bana Alabed¿s Twitter account, managed by her mother, has been instrumental in a change of views and actions on the part of the Global North. It looks at the ways in which the complex universal image of the suffering child is harnessed to denounce violence but, intriguingly, showcasing the problems of instability in the region and political trends. Other stories from Aleppo had been told. However, the trope of the girl in need permeates humanitarian discourse and, wielding emotions strategically, makes ethical claims on readers and audiences alike.
