The sea has always separated Africa from Europe. Today, however, the most dangerous crossing may begin not in the water but on a smartphone screen. The tragedy that unfolded off the coast of Ceuta, where dozens of young migrants lost their lives after attempting to swim into Spanish territory, is a grim reminder that social media has become one of the world’s most powerful migration accelerators. The immediate instinct is to search for a geopolitical mastermind.

Was this another instance of migration being weaponised by a hostile state? Did organised criminal networks orchestrate the exodus? Those questions deserve investigation, but they should not obscure a more immediate reality. Tens of thousands of people acted because they believed a digital narrative that Europe had suddenly become accessible. That belief proved catastrophically false. For years, migration policy has revolved around physical barriers like higher fences, stronger patrols, surveillance drones and stricter border controls. Yet none of these can prevent a viral video from convincing thousands that a perilous journey offers a realistic chance of........

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