Since Israel’s aggression in Gaza began 18 months ago Meta’s social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram have faced accusations of suppressing pro-Palestinian content.
An investigative report by Dropsite News reveals Meta removed millions of posts supporting Palestine often at Israel’s request, sparking concerns about censorship and bias.
Dropsite’s findings show Israel sent thousands of takedown requests targeting content from Arab and Muslim-majority countries including Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Algeria, and Yemen.
These requests, labeled as addressing “terrorism” or “incitement,” led to Meta removing over 90,000 posts in seconds, with 38.8 million posts actioned since late 2023. A Human Rights Watch report examined 1,050 cases, finding 1,049 involved peaceful pro-Palestinian content wrongly flagged for violating community standards.
Conflict’s toll extends beyond digital spaces. Over 230 journalists have died in Gaza during this period facing brutal attacks while documenting the violence.
Meta’s content moderation, driven by AI and human reviewers has been criticized for inconsistent enforcement. Posts face shadowbanning, account suspensions, or outright removal, even when expressing non-violent support for Palestine.
Adding fuel to controversy Dropsite uncovered ties between Meta’s senior staff and Israel’s government including former Israeli military and diplomatic figures.
Human Rights Watch noted complaints from seven countries about Meta’s practices raising questions about impartiality.
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As Gaza endures relentless assaults, the silencing of voices online mirrors the struggle for visibility amid devastation. Critics demand Meta reform its policies to ensure fair moderation arguing that suppressing peaceful expression undermines human rights.
