How Facebook Restricted News in Palestinian Territories During the Israel-Gaza War

Overview of Facebook's Restrictions on Palestinian News Outlets

During the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, Facebook has implemented severe restrictions on Palestinian news organizations, leading to a notable decrease in audience engagement. Here are the key points:

• Engagement Decline: Research indicates a 77% drop in engagement for Palestinian news outlets on Facebook after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
  • Palestine TV: Reports a 60% reduction in visibility of their posts despite having 5.8 million followers.
• Comparison with Israeli Outlets: In contrast, Israeli news organizations experienced a 37% increase in engagement during the same period.
• Claims of Shadow Banning: Palestinian journalists allege that their content is being "shadow-banned," restricting the reach of their posts.
• Moderation Policies: An independent report from 2021 suggested that moderation issues stemmed from a lack of Arabic-speaking staff, leading to misinterpretations of non-violent phrases as offensive.
• Instagram's Role: Leaked documents revealed that Instagram tightened its moderation of Palestinian users' comments following the Hamas attack, raising concerns about potential bias against Palestinian voices.
• Meta's Response: Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, denies any intent to suppress Palestinian voices, citing challenges in balancing free speech with the need to moderate content related to Hamas.
  • They acknowledged having implemented temporary policy changes in October 2023 that have since been reversed.
• Impact on Journalists: At least 137 Palestinian journalists have been reported killed since the conflict began, yet many continue to report under perilous conditions, emphasizing the need to share Palestinian perspectives despite the challenges faced.

In conclusion, the situation presents serious concerns regarding media freedom and representation, with Palestinian news outlets facing significant hurdles in reaching audiences amidst ongoing conflict.