Meta has stirred another row of global debate on content censorship and bias on posts related to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The conflict has already resulted in the death of more than 20,000 Palestinians, including children, as per the reports from the Gaza Ministry of Health.
The Human Rights Watch has published a comprehensive 51-page report against the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, alleging that it was censoring content supporting Palestine “systematically”.
In Israel, the deaths of more than 1,200 civilians have been reported so far. Meta has been accused of shunning the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by censoring pro-Palestinian content, as its role as a platform for free expression comes under question.
The acting associate technology and human rights director at Human Rights Watch, Deborah Brown, stated, “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”.
Meta Deliberately Reduces Viability of Targeted Content
So far, Human Rights Watch has reviewed as many as 1,050 instances of online censorship by Meta across 60 countries. It has already identified a minimum of 100 cases where the social media platform censored pro-Palestinian content.
Meta also deployed the tactic of “shadow banning” to reduce content visibility without informing users.
Meta’s content moderation policies included account suspensions, removal of targeted content, and restricting features on Instagram and Facebook Live.
The role of social media in disseminating unbiased information in the digital age comes under question following this alleged censorship.
In this context, Deborah Brown said, that social media is a crucial platform where people can voice themselves against abuses.
However, the censorship policies of Meta are preventing the sufferings of Palestinians from being heard.
The report also accuses that Meta is heavily reliant on AI tools in content moderation. Besides, its content moderation strategies are largely influenced by the government.
The DOI (Dangerous Organizations and Individuals) policy of Meta restricts legitimate speech regarding the conflict to be circulated, with the US dubbing certain groups “terrorist organizations”.
Meta Ignores Users’ Ordeal, Sticks To Its Content Moderation Strategies
Facebook and Instagram users reported hundreds of cases where they found no way to appeal for an account or content removal as the mechanisms on the social media platforms malfunctioned.
This further brings Meta’s content moderation policies under question, raising concerns about the freedom of expression and the right to access information.
Our policies are designed to give everyone a voice while at the same time keeping our platforms safe.Meta
The company stated that they would readily acknowledge any fault that users might find frustrating. However, the company denied the allegation of systematically and deliberately suppressing a targeted perspective.
The call from US Senator Elizabeth Warren for Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to provide information about these censorship allegations reflects the growing concern over social media’s role in global politics and human rights.
As Meta responds to these accusations, the broader influence of social media platforms becomes clear when it comes to spreading information in war zones.
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