In a recent development, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has taken stringent measures to safeguard the integrity of its platform by suspending several prominent pro-Palestinian Instagram accounts. This decision was prompted by perceived vulnerabilities in these accounts’ security.
Notably, the popular Instagram account @eye.on.palestine, boasting a massive following of over 6 million users, has been rendered inaccessible to users since Wednesday night. Subsequently, even the backup account was made unavailable for viewing. Regrettably, as of lunchtime on Thursday, these accounts remained restricted.
@eye.on.palestine has consistently shared poignant images and videos from the Gaza region, emerging as a leading advocate for conveying the experiences of Palestinian individuals enduring the relentless bombardment by Israel.
This isn’t the first instance of such an action being taken against the account. In the past, it faced temporary suspension on account of alleged non-compliance with community guidelines. However, the account was later reinstated.
Meta responded to this recent suspension, stating, “These accounts were initially locked for security reasons after indications of compromise, and we are actively working to establish contact with the account owners to facilitate access.”
The most recent move follows a series of challenges Meta has faced concerning pro-Palestinian content and posts on its platform. Last week, Instagram found itself apologizing for a distressing incident where the word “terrorist” was erroneously associated with certain Palestinian user profiles due to a technical glitch. This issue arose when users translated bios containing “Palestinian” in English, the Palestinian flag emoji, and the Arabic word “alhamdulillah” to English, resulting in an erroneous translation about “Palestinian terrorists.”
It is worth noting that Instagram resolved this issue promptly, with the translation now correctly reading “Thank God.” A Meta spokesperson acknowledged the incident and the subsequent correction.
Nonetheless, users have been critical of the platform, accusing it of suppressing and shadow-banning content that supports the Palestinian cause. Users have shared instances where stories about Palestine have received significantly fewer views, and accounts that share pro-Palestinian content have become less discoverable within the social network.
This is not the first time Meta has faced allegations of censorship and bias concerning pro-Palestinian content. During Israel’s assault on Gaza in 2021, the platform was heavily scrutinized and accused of infringing on the fundamental human rights of Palestinian users, as an internal study found that Facebook and Instagram’s speech policies had detrimental effects on these users.
A watchdog organization known as 7amleh, the Arab Center for Social Media Advancement, has meticulously documented more than 238 cases of censorship in recent weeks, focusing on the silencing of Palestinian voices. This extensive list includes the temporary suspension of the Instagram account Let’s Talk Palestine and Meta’s suspension of the Facebook account for the Palestinian media outlet 24FM.
Nadim Nashif, the director of 7amleh, expressed his concerns, stating, “We have uncovered a disconcerting trend of stifling Palestinian voices and inhibiting free expression, predominantly on Meta’s platforms. Palestinian content is disproportionately targeted, while instances of hate speech and incitement against Palestinians largely go unaddressed. Censorship is rampant, manifesting as restricted reach, takedowns, and oppressive limitations on media outlets, journalists, and influencers, notably affecting the account ‘Eye on Palestine.’ This oppressive stance obstructs the global community from hearing the ground truth.”
The repercussions of these actions remain a subject of debate and concern, as various parties weigh in on the implications for freedom of expression and the handling of sensitive geopolitical issues.