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Is Facebook silencing Palestinian voices during the Israel-Gaza war?
Is there an underlying prejudice at work, or is Meta just inadvertently silencing voices?
Omar el Qataa is a photojournalist operating out of northern Gaza. Photo Credit: BBC
Palestinian news organisations are being restricted on social media as the Israel-Gaza conflict heats up. In contrast to other news sources, a BBC research reveals a sharp drop in interaction for Palestinian media. Is there an underlying prejudice at work, or is Meta just inadvertently silencing voices?
The arguments
Meta denies that it is stifling Palestinian voices. According to the social media giant as quoted by the BBC, “Any implication that we deliberately suppress a particular voice is unequivocally false.”
Although the company admits to the “temporary measures” implemented in October to restrict content, it maintains that these were intended to strike a balance between free expression and the removal of content associated with the US-sanctioned group Hamas.
But according to leaked papers, Instagram’s algorithm was changed to harshly filter comments from Palestinians. A former Meta employee revealed that, “The code was changed within a week, potentially introducing bias against Palestinian users.”
The Bigger Perspective: Moderation Concerns in Arabic
Meta’s dearth of moderators who speak Arabic has drawn criticism in the past. Words like “Alhamdulillah” were misconstrued as encouraging violence. Outside of Palestine, Arabic-language news organisations like Al Jazeera reported a 100% increase in participation during the war.
While Meta claims neutrality, the sharp decline in Palestinian engagement raises troubling questions about bias, moderation, and censorship during a time when Palestinian voices are more critical than ever.
The facts
Data from 20 prominent Palestinian news sources, including Palestine TV and Wafa, were examined by the BBC. After the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, engagement—as indicated by comments, shares, and reactions—dropped by 77%. Even with 5.8 million followers, Palestine TV alone experienced a 60% drop in post reach.
“Our posts stopped reaching people. Interaction was completely restricted,” said Palestine TV journalist Tariq Ziad.
In stark contrast, the Israeli media is booming. The BBC compared engagement for 20 Israeli outlets, including Israel Hayom and Channel 13, in order to check for bias. Over the same time frame, their engagement increased by 37%, indicating a notable discrepancy.
The Human Cost: Content Censorship in Gaza
Palestinian journalists continue risking their lives to report from Gaza. Omar el Qataa, a photojournalist, explained Graphic content showing massacres won’t spread due to bans. Still, we must share Palestinian stories.
