How social media sites failed to avoid censorship, curb hate speech and disinformation during Gaza war

Special How social media sites failed to avoid censorship, curb hate speech and disinformation during Gaza war
Activists accuse social media giants of censoring posts, including those providing evidence of human rights abuses in Gaza. (Getty Images)
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Updated 04 August 2024
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How social media sites failed to avoid censorship, curb hate speech and disinformation during Gaza war

How social media sites failed to avoid censorship, curb hate speech and disinformation during Gaza war
  • Since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack that sparked the conflict in Gaza, social media has been inundated with content related to the war
  • Meta, TikTok, X, and Telegram have promised to create a safer, less toxic online environment, but the process lacks transparency

LONDON: Tech giant Meta recently announced it would start removing social media posts that use the term “Zionist” in contexts where it refers to Jewish people and Israelis rather than representing supporters of the political movement, in an effort to curb antisemitism on its platforms.

Facebook and Instagram’s parent company previously said it would lift its blanket ban on the single most moderated term across all of Meta’s platforms — “shaheed,” or “martyr” in English — after a year-long review by its oversight board found the approach was “overbroad.”

Similarly, TikTok, X and Telegram have long promised to step up efforts to curb hate speech and the spread of disinformation on their platforms against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Gaza.




Activists accuse social media giants of censoring posts, including those providing evidence of human rights abuses in Gaza. (Getty Images)

These initiatives are intended to create a safer, less toxic online environment. However, as experts have consistently pointed out, these efforts often fall short, resulting in empty promises and a worrying trend toward censorship.

“In short, social media platforms have not been very good at avoiding censorship or curbing hate speech and disinformation about the war on Gaza,” Nadim Nashif, founder and director of 7amleh, a digital rights and human rights activist group for Palestinians, told Arab News.

“Throughout the conflict, censorship and account takedowns have jeopardized efforts to document on-the-ground human rights violations as well.”

Nashif says hate speech and incitement to violence remain “rampant,” particularly on Meta’s platforms and X, where antisemitic and Islamophobic content continues “to spread widely.”

Since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack that sparked the conflict in Gaza, social media has been inundated with content related to the war. In many instances it has served as a crucial window into the dramatic events unfolding in the region and has become a vital source of real-time news and accountability for Israeli actions.

Profiles supporting the actions of both Hamas and the Israeli government have been accused of sharing misleading and hateful content.

FASTFACT

1,050

Takedowns and other suppressions of content on Instagram and Facebook posted by Palestinians and their supporters, documented by Human Rights Watch during October-November 2023 period.

Even so, none of the social media platforms — including Meta, YouTube, X, TikTok, or messaging apps such as Telegram — has publicly outlined policies designed to mitigate hate speech and incitement to violence in relation to the conflict.

Instead, these platforms remain flooded with war propaganda, dehumanizing speech, genocidal statements, explicit calls to violence, and racist hate speech. In some cases, platforms are taking down pro-Palestinian content, blocking accounts, and sometimes shadow banning users voicing their support for the people of Gaza.

On Friday, Turkiye’s communications authority blocked access to the Meta-owned social media platform Instagram. Local media outlets said access was blocked in response to Instagram removing posts by Turkish users that expressed condolences over the recent killing in Tehran of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh.

The previous day, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim accused Meta of cowardice after his Facebook post on Haniyeh’s killing was removed. “Let this serve as a clear and unequivocal message to Meta: Cease this display of cowardice,” wrote Anwar, who has repeatedly condemned Israel’s war on Gaza and its actions in the occupied West Bank, on his Facebook page.




Screenshot of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's post denouncing Meta's censorship of his post criotical against Israel's assassination policy.

Meanwhile, footage of Israeli soldiers purportedly blowing up mosques and homes, burning copies of the Qur’an, torturing and humiliating blindfolded Palestinian detainees, driving them around strapped to the bonnet of military vehicles, and celebrating war crimes remain freely available on mobile screens.

“Historically, platforms have been very bad at moderating content about Israel and Palestine,” said Nashif. “Throughout the war on Gaza, and the ongoing plausible genocide, this has simply been exacerbated.”

A report by Human Rights Watch titled “Meta’s Broken Promises,” published in December, accused the firm of “systematic online censorship” and “inconsistent and opaque application of its policies” and practices that have been silencing voices in support of Palestine and Palestinian human rights on Instagram and Facebook.

The report added that Meta’s behavior “fails to meet its human rights due diligence responsibilities” due to years-long failed promises to address its “overbroad crackdowns.”

Jacob Mukherjee, convenor of the political communications MA program at Goldsmiths, University of London, told Arab News: “I’m not sure to what extent you can really even call them efforts to stop censorship.

“Meta promised to conduct various reviews — which, by the way, it has been promising for a good couple of years now since the last upsurge in the Israel-Palestine conflict in 2021 — before Oct. 7 last year.

“But as far as I can see, not a great deal has changed, substantially speaking. They have had to respond to suggestions that they’ve been engaged in censorship, of course, but that’s mainly been a PR effort in my view.”

Between October and November 2023, Human Rights Watch documented more than 1,050 takedowns and other suppressions of content on Instagram and Facebook posted by Palestinians and their supporters, including content about human rights abuses.

Of these, 1,049 involved peaceful content in support of Palestine that was censored or otherwise unduly suppressed, while one case involved the removal of content in support of Israel.

However, censorship appears to be only part of the issue.

7amleh’s violence indicator, which monitors real-time data on violent content in Hebrew and Arabic on social media platforms, has recorded more than 8.6 million pieces of such content since the conflict began.

Nashif says the proliferation of violent and harmful content, predominantly in Hebrew, is largely due to insufficient investment in moderation.

This content, which has primarily targeted Palestinians on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, was used by South Africa as evidence in its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

Meta is arguably not alone in bearing responsibility for what has been described by South Africa’s lawyers as the first genocide livestreamed to mobile phones, computers, and television screens.




Activists accuse social media giants of censoring posts, including those providing evidence of human rights abuses in Gaza. (Getty Images)

X too has faced accusations from both supporters of both Palestine and Israel of giving free rein to handles known for spreading disinformation and doctored images, which oftentimes have been shared by prominent political and media personalities.

“One of the major issues with current content moderation systems is a lack of transparency,” said Nashif.

“When it comes to AI, the platforms do not release clear and transparent information about when and how AI systems are implemented in the content moderation process. Policies are often opaque and allow a great deal of leeway for the platforms to do as they see fit.”

For Mukherjee, the issue of moderation happening behind a smoke screen of murky policies is strongly political, requiring these companies to adopt a “balanced” approach between political pressure and “managing the expectations and desires of the user base.”




Activists accuse social media giants of censoring posts, including those providing evidence of human rights abuses in Gaza. (Getty Images)

He said: “These AI tools can kind of be used to insulate the real power holders, i.e. the people that run the platforms, from criticism and accountability, which is a real problem.

“These platforms are private monopolies that are essentially responsible for regulating an important part of the political public sphere.

“In other words, they’re helping to shape and regulate the arena in which conversations happen, in which people form their opinions, from which politicians feel the pressure of public opinion, and yet they are completely unaccountable.”

Although there have been examples of pro-Palestinian content being censored or removed, as revealed by Arab News in October, these platforms made clear, well before the Gaza conflict, that it is ultimately not in their interest to take down content from their platforms.

“These platforms are not made for reasons of public interest or in order to ensure that we have an informed and educated populace that’s exposed to a range of perspectives and is equipped to properly make decisions and form opinions,” said Mukherjee.

“The fact (is) that the business models actually want there to be lots of content and if that’s pro-Palestine content, then so be it. It’s ultimately still getting eyeballs and engagement on the platform, and content that provokes strong sentiment, to use the industry’s terms, gets engagement, and that means data and that means money.”
 

 


Hezbollah warns Israel against Lebanon border flare-up

Hezbollah warns Israel against Lebanon border flare-up
Updated 14 sec ago
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Hezbollah warns Israel against Lebanon border flare-up

Hezbollah warns Israel against Lebanon border flare-up
BEIRUT: Hezbollah’s second-in-command warned on Saturday that an all-out war by Israel aimed at returning 100,000 displaced people to their homes in areas near the Lebanon border would displace “hundreds of thousands” more.
Naim Qassem, number two in the Iran-backed Lebanese group, was speaking after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel was determined to restore security to its northern front.
Gallant told Israeli troops last week that “we are preparing for anything that may happen in the north.”
In a speech in Beirut, Qassem said: “We have no intention of going to war, as we consider that this would not be useful.
“However, if Israel does unleash a war, we will face up to it — and there will be large losses on both sides,” he said.
“If they think such a war would allow the 100,000 displaced people to return home ... we issue this warning: prepare to deal with hundreds of thousands more displaced.”
Hezbollah has traded near-daily fire with Israeli forces in support of ally Hamas since the Palestinian militant group’s October 7 attack on Israel triggered war in Gaza.
Thousands of people living in the border area of both countries have been displaced by the fighting.
The cross-border violence since early October has killed 623 people in Lebanon, mostly fighters but also including at least 142 civilians, according to an AFP tally.
On the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, authorities have announced the deaths of at least 24 soldiers and 26 civilians.
Qassem said on Saturday of those displaced in Israel: “It is impossible to bring them back, no matter the sacrifices made.
“So take your time and think about it before reaching a decision. We are prepared for any eventuality.”
In late August, Israel’s military said it had foiled a major assault by Hezbollah aimed at avenging a military commander killed by an Israeli air strike near Beirut.
Israel said it destroyed “thousands” of Hezbollah rocket launchers, while the Lebanese group insisted it had fired a drone and rocket barrage across the border.
It was perhaps the biggest exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah since the Gaza war began.
However, the violence has since eased, with analysts believing that both sides wish to avoid a wider regional flare-up.

Iraqi oil minister stable after surgery in US, official says

Iraqi oil minister stable after surgery in US, official says
Updated 14 September 2024
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Iraqi oil minister stable after surgery in US, official says

Iraqi oil minister stable after surgery in US, official says
  • Abdel-Ghani arrived in the US earlier this week on a trip aimed at courting US companies to invest in Iraq’s energy sector

BAGHDAD: Iraqi oil minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani is in stable condition after receiving emergency heart surgery during an official visit to the United States, an oil ministry official who is part of the Iraqi delegation said on Saturday.
Abdel-Ghani arrived in the US earlier this week on a trip aimed at courting US companies to invest in Iraq’s energy sector.
The oil ministry official told Reuters he fell ill and was rushed to hospital during the trip and underwent heart catheterization surgery.
“He’s out from the operating theater and is in a stable condition,” the official said.
Abdel-Ghani and other oil ministry officials could not immediately be reached for comment. 


Algeria president re-elected with 84.3 percent of votes: official results

Algeria president re-elected with 84.3 percent of votes: official results
Updated 14 September 2024
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Algeria president re-elected with 84.3 percent of votes: official results

Algeria president re-elected with 84.3 percent of votes: official results
  • Tebboune was far ahead of his only two challengers
  • More than 24 million Algerians were registered to vote in this election

Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has won a second term with 84.3 percent of the vote in last week’s election, final results announced Saturday showed, down from an initial count contested by rivals.
The preliminary results issued by the North African country’s electoral authority ANIE on Sunday gave Tebboune nearly 95 percent support, prompting other candidates to challenge the results in appeals to the Constitutional Court.
The court’s president, Omar Belhadj, announced on Saturday the official count, with Tebboune far ahead of his only two challengers.
“We announce that Mr.Abdelmadjid Tebboune is elected for a second term, and will assume his responsibilities when he swears in,” Belhadj said in remarks broadcast live on national TV and radio stations.
The 78-year-old incumbent had been widely expected to breeze through the election and was focused instead on securing a high turnout, which according to Belhadj stood at 46.1 percent in the September 7 ballot.
More than 24 million Algerians were registered to vote in this election.
Tebboune was elected in December 2019 with 58 percent of the vote, despite a record abstention rate above 60 percent, amid the mass Hirak pro-democracy protests.
Presidential candidate Abdelaali Hassani, who heads the moderate Islamist party the Movement of Society for Peace, on Tuesday submitted his challenge to the vote count, a day after denouncing the results as “fraud.”
Youcef Aouchiche, head of the center-left Socialist Forces Front, later followed suit, accusing the electoral authority ANIE of “forging” the result.
In an unprecedented move, all three campaigns — including Tebboune’s — also issued a joint statement late Sunday alleging “irregularities” in ANIE’s results, adding they wanted to make the public aware of “vagueness and contradictions in the participation figures.”
The preliminary results announced by ANIE said that Tebboune had won “94.65 percent of the vote,” with Hassani receiving 3.17 percent and Aouchiche 2.16 percent.
The final results gave Hassani 9.56 percent of the votes, and Aouchiche 6.14 percent.
Tebboune became president after widely boycotted elections and mass pro-democracy protests from 2019 that died out under his tenure as policing ramped up and hundreds were put in jail.
He had touted economic successes during his first term, including more jobs and higher wages in Africa’s largest exporter of natural gas.
Although Algeria’s economy has grown at an annual rate of about four percent over the past two years, it remains heavily dependent on oil and gas to fund its social programs.


Turkiye arrests suspected Istanbul church attack planner linked to Daesh

Turkiye arrests suspected Istanbul church attack planner linked to Daesh
Updated 14 September 2024
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Turkiye arrests suspected Istanbul church attack planner linked to Daesh

Turkiye arrests suspected Istanbul church attack planner linked to Daesh
  • One Turkish citizen was killed by two Daesh gunmen at the Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church in Istanbul in January

ANKARA: Turkish authorities have arrested a Daesh militant believed to be involved in planning an attack on the Santa Maria Italian Church in Istanbul earlier this year, the country’s intelligence agency said on Saturday.
The National Intelligence Organization (MIT) said the suspect, whom it identified as Viskhan Soltamatov, was believed to be the key figure behind the Jan. 28, 2024 attack. He was detained by MIT and police during a joint operation in Istanbul, the agency said.
MIT said Soltamatov was also believed to have supplied the weapon used in the assault.
One Turkish citizen was killed by two Daesh gunmen at the Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church in Istanbul in January.
The church attack was orchestrated by Daesh-linked operatives from the group’s Khorasan Province, a faction active in Afghanistan. In April, Turkiye had arrested 48 people believed to be linked to the attack.


Tunisian court orders electoral commission to reinstate presidential candidates

Tunisian court orders electoral commission to reinstate presidential candidates
Updated 14 September 2024
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Tunisian court orders electoral commission to reinstate presidential candidates

Tunisian court orders electoral commission to reinstate presidential candidates
  • The move by the Administrative Court comes amid growing political tension in the North African country
  • Thousands of Tunisians took to the streets on Friday in the country’s biggest march in two years

TUNIS: Tunisia’s highest court on Saturday ordered the electoral commission to reinstate two candidates for a presidential poll in October, warning that failure to do so could jeopardize the legitimacy of the election.
The move by the Administrative Court comes amid growing political tension in the North African country and fears from the opposition and civil society groups about a rigged election that would lead to President Kais Saied winning a second term.
Thousands of Tunisians took to the streets on Friday in the country’s biggest march in two years, protesting against restrictions on freedoms and the undemocratic electoral climate.
The protesters chanted slogans including “Out with dictator Saied.”
Tensions mounted after the electoral commission earlier this month rejected the court’s decision to restore the candidacy of Abdellaif Mekki, Mondher Znaidi and Imed Daimi ahead of the Oct.6 race, citing alleged irregularities in their candidacy filings.
Major parties and civil society groups said that the commission, whose members were appointed by the president himself, had became a tool in the hands of the president against his rivals.
The head of the commission Farouk Bouasker has denied the accusations and said that “the commission is the only constitutional body entrusted with the integrity of the election.”
But the court said on Saturday that the commission is obligated to implement its decision and, if necessary, to review the electoral calendar. It is not clear if this means postponing the election or extending the campaign timeframe.
“Otherwise it would lead to an illegal situation that conflicts with the electoral law and the transparency of the electoral process,” it said.
The court asked Znaidi and Mekki to be included in the race, after they filed a new complaint against the commission’s decision. The third candidate, Daimi, has not filed a second appeal yet.
Saied was democratically elected in 2019, but then tightened his grip on power and began ruling by decree in 2021 in a move the opposition has described as a coup.