Reports reveal Meta's Israel policy chief, a former Israeli official, pushed for the removal of SJP-linked content.
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| The commitment of Mark Zuckerberg's Meta to content neutrality questioned as its Israel policy chief allegedly sought to suppress pro-Palestinian content. Image Courtesy: Meta |
San Francisco, California, USA – October 22, 2024:
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is facing allegations of censorship bias after reports surfaced that its Israel policy chief, Jordana Cutler, actively sought to suppress pro-Palestinian posts on the platform.
According to The Intercept, Cutler, who is also a former senior Israeli official, used Meta's content escalation channels to flag for review at least four posts linked to Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a group known for its activism against Israel's policies in Gaza.
Cutler reportedly cited Meta's Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy as justification for flagging the SJP posts. This policy restricts the "glorification" of blacklisted entities but is intended to allow for social and political discourse.
While Meta declined to disclose the outcome of the flagged posts, experts expressed concerns about a senior employee representing a government's interests pushing to restrict content that opposes those interests.
Meta spokesperson Dani Lever defended the company's review process, stating that the identity of the person flagging content is irrelevant as the company's policies govern what is and isn't allowed on the platform. However, critics argue that Cutler's position as Israel policy chief could potentially influence the moderation team's decisions.
The allegations against Cutler raise questions about Meta's commitment to content neutrality and its ability to effectively moderate content related to sensitive geopolitical issues. As the company continues to grapple with challenges related to misinformation and censorship, it is crucial that its policies and practices are transparent and unbiased.