(MENAFN) Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, of systematic censorship of pro-Palestine content amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The social media giant, led by Mark Zuckerberg, is alleged to have removed or suppressed a significant amount of pro-Palestine posts, with HRW pointing to factors such as an "overreliance" on automated content moderation tools and "undue government influence."
In a report published on Wednesday, HRW's acting associate technology and human rights director, Deborah Brown, expressed concern over Meta's actions, stating that the censorship of content supporting Palestine exacerbates the challenges faced by Palestinians during a time of "unspeakable atrocities and repression." Brown emphasized the importance of social media as a platform for people to bear witness and speak out against abuses, while Meta's alleged censorship is seen as contributing to the erasure of Palestinians' suffering.
The HRW report examined over 1,000 cases of Meta's censorship across 60 countries, revealing what it describes as a "pattern of undue removal and suppression of protected speech," including peaceful expressions in support of Palestine. The report highlights instances where Meta removed posts documenting the Gaza crisis, citing platform policies on "violent and graphic content, violence and incitement, and hate speech" as justifications for these actions.
In some cases, the report notes that Meta cited a policy aimed at limiting the influence of "organizations or individuals that proclaim a violent mission" on its platforms. HRW contends that this policy has been used to "restrict legitimate free speech," raising concerns about the broader implications of such censorship on the ability of individuals to express their views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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