Meta systemically censors pro-Palestinian content, report claims
Newsy
Human Rights Watch claims Meta knowingly censors pro-Palestinian content and hasn't fixed the issue.
Meta has enabled "systemic and global" censorship of pro-Palestinian content on its platforms since the start of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, a new report by Human Rights Watch claims.
The 51-page report documents more than 1,000 instances between October and November when Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, allegedly removed content or suspended accounts involving or in support of Palestinians.
The international organization claims this "pattern" is due to flaws in and inconsistent application of the social media giant's policies, "apparent deference" to government requests and the company's reliance on automation for content removal and moderation.
"Meta's censorship of content in support of Palestine adds insult to injury at a time of unspeakable atrocities and repression already stifling Palestinians' expression," said Deborah Brown, HRW's acting associate technology and human rights director. "Social media is an essential platform for people to bear witness and speak out against abuses while Meta's censorship is furthering the erasure of Palestinians' suffering."
HRW says it reviewed 1,050 cases across 60 countries for its report, though it claims hundreds of people continued to share their cases of censorship after they completed their study. It says 1,049 of its reviewed cases were unduly suppressed or censored after expressing peaceful support of Palestine or public debate about the people's rights, while the remaining removed case had been in support of Israel.
