Technology
Human Rights Watch Exposes Meta’s Censorship on Palestine
By Matt De Vlieger · December 27, 2023
Meta Censorship Report
Meta’s content moderation policies face criticism in a Human Rights Watch report, accusing the company of systematically censoring content supportive of Palestine on Instagram and Facebook. Human Rights Watch
The Report’s Release Date
The report titled "Meta’s Broken Promises: Systemic Censorship of Palestine Content on Instagram and Facebook" was released on December 21, 2023.
Impact on Palestinian Expression
Meta's censorship exacerbates the suppression of Palestinian voices during a period of significant unrest and repression, hindering their ability to use social media as a platform for expression. Canva
Statement from Human Rights Watch
According to Deborah Brown, acting associate technology and human rights director at Human Rights Watch, Meta's censorship aggravates the erasure of Palestinian suffering during a critical time. Canva
Review of Online Censorship Cases
Human Rights Watch examined 1,050 cases of online censorship across more than 60 countries, revealing a consistent pattern of removal and suppression of content supporting Palestine. Canva
Context of Recent Hostilities
The censorship surge followed hostilities between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups, resulting in a significant number of casualties on both sides. Shaun King/Instagram
Patterns of Censorship
Six key patterns of censorship were identified, including content removals, account suspensions, restrictions on engagement, limitations on features, and the use of "shadow banning." Shaun King/Instagram
Ineffectiveness of Appeal Mechanism
In over 300 cases, users were unable to appeal content or account removal due to a malfunction in the appeal mechanism, denying them an effective remedy. Canva
Misapplication of Policies
Meta misapplied policies on dangerous organizations, violent content, hate speech, and nudity, impacting content documenting Palestinian injury and death with news value. Canva
Acknowledgment of Flawed Enforcement
Meta is aware of the flawed enforcement of its policies, as documented in a 2021 report, but has not effectively addressed the issues raised. ahhhnice/Flickr
Previous Investigation
An independent investigation in 2021 found that Meta's content moderation had adverse human rights impacts on Palestinian users, prompting commitments for policy changes. Canva
Unfulfilled Commitments
Despite commitments made in 2022 to improve policies and enforcement, Meta has failed to implement necessary changes, repeating past patterns of abuse. Canva
Human Rights Due Diligence
Meta's failure to meet its human rights due diligence responsibilities is emphasized, with calls for the company to align policies with international standards and ensure transparency. Canva
Summary of Censorship Patterns
A summary of the six key patterns of censorship, highlighting the removal of content, account suspension, restrictions on engagement, and the use of shadow banning. Canva
Global Systemic Censorship
The report indicates that Meta's inconsistent policy enforcement has led to global and systemic censorship of content related to Palestine on Instagram and Facebook. Canva
Flaws in Meta Policies
Identified flaws in Meta's policies, particularly the Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy, are seen as contributing to the suppression of content supporting Palestine. Canva
Opaque Application of Policies
Meta's inconsistent application of its own policies, especially regarding exceptions for newsworthy content, is identified as a contributing factor to the censorship. Canva
Government Influence
The report points to Meta's apparent deference to government requests for content removals, such as those from Israel's Cyber Unit, as a factor in the censorship. Canva
Reliance on Automated Tools
Heavy reliance on automated tools for content removal is highlighted as a systemic factor, contributing to the erroneous removal of Palestine-related content. Canva