7amleh - The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media’s Post

Today, May 29, Meta is holding its AGM, an annual meeting for shareholders –– and an important time to get the company’s attention on pressing human rights issues. In the face of Israel’s heinous attacks on Rafah and ongoing assault on Gaza, Meta hasn’t taken a single action to address its systematic censorship of Palestinians, its removal of content documenting Israel’s war crimes, and its failure to moderate Hebrew language content that fuels and exacerbates the violence Palestinians are facing on the ground. Shareholders must know that Meta is continuing to blatantly violate and disrespect Palestinian human rights, and it’s time to hold the company accountable. Join Palestinian rights defenders around the world in demanding: Meta, #LetPalestineSpeak! Sign and share the petition at fftf.link/meta. #StopSilencingPalestine 7amleh - The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media

Human rights group accuses Meta of restricting pro-Palestine speech Human Rights Watch accused Meta of repeatedly removing or restricting content supporting Palestine or Palestinian human rights even when it did not violate the platform’s rules. The group said it identified more than 1,000 of pieces of pro-Palestine content that it claims did not violate Meta’s rules but that were restricted or removed during October and November 2023 including images of injured or dead bodies in Gaza hospitals and comments saying, “Free Palestine” and “Stop the Genocide.” Meta claimed that its policies are designed to give everyone a voice while at keeping the platforms safe. Meta also mentioned the fact that the platform deliberately suppressing a certain voice is false. “Meta’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy that, “understandably, the policy prohibits incitement to violence. However, it also contains sweeping bans on vague categories of speech, such as ‘praise’ and ‘support’ of ‘dangerous organizations,’”. “Meta mentioned to CNN in October that it had established “a special operations center staffed with experts, including fluent Hebrew and Arabic speakers, to closely monitor and respond to this rapidly evolving situation,” and that it was coordinating with third-party fact checkers in the region.” https://lnkd.in/d6zZQRAh Platform: CNN Author: Clare Duffy #meta #socialmediaplatforms #israelpalestineconflict #warcrimes #technews #content #humanrights

Today, I stand both shocked and deeply ashamed as a former employee of Meta, upon reading the latest Human Rights Watch report. This isn't just another document; it's a revelation from a global authority on human rights. The report, titled "Meta’s Broken Promises: Systemic Censorship of Palestine Content on Instagram and Facebook," uncovers a disturbing pattern. It reveals how Meta’s policies have systematically silenced voices supporting Palestine and Palestinian human rights on its platforms, notably Instagram and Facebook. This issue transcends individual opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict. It strikes at the very heart of what we cherish in democratic societies: freedom of speech and access to information. The report details over 1,050 incidents of content suppression, predominantly against peaceful pro-Palestine expression, across 60 countries. This isn't just about numbers; it's about voices unjustly stifled. As someone who once proudly associated with Meta, I find this deeply troubling. The question isn't just about Meta's policies, but about our collective commitment to free expression and the respect of human rights in the digital age. Whether you stand with Palestine, Israel, or neutrality, this report should concern you. It's a wake-up call for everyone who values democracy and free speech. We must hold Meta accountable and demand change. >> Link to the full report in the comments. #HumanRights #FreedomOfSpeech #Meta #Censorship #Palestine

“The ongoing crisis in Palestine-Israel stands as a glaring example of tech giants’ profound failure to combat disinformation, incitement, and hate speech on their platforms, despite repeated warnings. The reluctance of Meta in particular to safeguard its users implicates the company in contributing to the defaming and dehumanization of Palestinians, normalizing violence against them, and perpetuating anti-Palestinian racism. It is now evident that Meta, alongside other tech giants, must reevaluate its internal practices. This should include an independent external audit of the changes made in response to the 2022 BSR report and their impact on ongoing escalations in online hate speech and incitements to violence. Furthermore, investments in moderation improvements and addressing algorithmic biases are imperative to create a more inclusive and respectful online environment, free from hate and discrimination. The paramount consideration should be the safety, dignity, and rights of all users, irrespective of their background or origin.” Check my full analysis via https://lnkd.in/dAjkg8ST

A collective of 73 civil society organizations including 7amleh - The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media have called Meta to refrain from censoring criticism of Zionism on its platforms. The call came in an open letter sent to Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta after the company’s proposed revision of its’ hate speech policy regarding the term “Zionist”, and the potential to treat it as a proxy for Jewish and/or Israeli. In the letter: “Dear Mr. Zuckerberg, We, a group of concerned 73 civil society organizations, write to you today in support of a safe, fair, and a free digital space for all people. As the United Nations Human Rights Council has repeatedly reaffirmed, “The same rights that people have offline must also be protected online.” With this in mind, and society’s increased reliance on social media to understand current world events, Meta’s responsibility has never been greater. In particular, in alignment with the recent International Court of Justice’s preliminary ruling in South Africa’s case brought against Israel, we implore Meta to take drastic measures to ensure your platforms are not contributing to harm and violence for anyone in Palestine and Israel.” 📍For the full letter: https://lnkd.in/dUa2_sxU #DigitalRights = #HumanRights

📣 Alongside Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), 7amleh - The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, Access Now, SMEX, ARTICLE 19, WITNESS, Amnesty International, and 10 other organisations, Mnemonic calls on Meta to #StopSilencingPalestine. In our press release, we highlight campaign recommendations particularly critical to enable human rights research, open source investigations, and accountability for grave crimes, including: ➡ The need for heightened and transparent human rights risk assessments. ➡ Algorithm transparency to counter over-removals. ➡ Clarity on Meta's upcoming data retention policy in armed conflict. ➡ Access to critical human rights content, considering research in situations of human rights crises and conflict as a matter of public interest.

A Meta delegation met with Pakistan's Minister of State for IT, Shaza Khawaja, to discuss various digital initiatives in the country. These included campaigns such as Digital Safety, Election Education, Anti-Scams, and Digital Literacy Programs. The delegation, consisting of Dania Mukhtar , Head of Public Policy, and Taabeer Ather , Manager of Public Policy for Pakistan, briefed the minister on Meta's activities. The meeting focused on promoting responsible use of social media platforms. Minister Khawaja commended Meta's efforts and pledged her full support to the company. #meta #IT #Pakistan #digital

After a year-long review by its oversight board, Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has decided to lift its blanket ban on the word 'shaheed.' The social media giant admitted that its previous approach was “overboard.” Meta has faced criticism for its content handling, particularly in the Middle East. A 2021 study revealed that their policies had an “adverse human rights impact” on Palestinians and Arabic-speaking users. These criticisms have intensified since October 7. The independent oversight board, funded by Meta, initiated the review because 'shaheed' accounted for more content removals than any other term. This move marks a significant change in Meta’s content moderation policies. #Meta #Facebook #Instagram #CheckItNow #Shaheed #ContentModeration #SocialMediaNews #MiddleEast #HumanRights #OversightBoard #DigitalPolicy