Musk: 'decolonization' against 'terms and conditions' of X

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
18 Nov 2023 04:47
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In a new form of censorship, Elon Musk, the CEO of X, claims that "decolonization" implies "Jewish genocide" and as such goes against the platform's "terms and conditions" and supporters will be suspended.

Protesters rally during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Freedom Plaza in Washington, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. (AP)

In a new escalation for online censorship Elon Musk, the CEO of X, has announced that slogans, chants, and statements calling for "decolonization" are "unacceptable to any reasonable person" and violate the "terms of service" of X and "will result in suspension."

As "Israel" continues its ethnic cleansing of Palestine for the 43rd day since Operation Al Aqsa Flood, Musk sought to censor all support for Palestinian liberation after 75 years of Israeli occupation.

In a most recent post, Colin Wright, an internet personality who supports the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip, claimed that "decolonization" has become "the woke version of jihad," and urged that it be "viewed and treated that way."

Despite a clear misunderstanding of the Arabic word "Jihad" and its usage, reminiscent of former US President George Bush's declaration during the "war on terror" era, where he famously stated, "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists," effectively labeling every Arabic speaker as a terrorist, Wright aimed to categorize resistance movements in Western Asia as terrorists during a period of global transformation.

In a response to Wright, the CEO of X claimed that "decolonization", implies "necessarily" a "Jewish genocide" and as such "is unacceptable to any reasonable person."

Yes, “decolonization” necessarily implies a Jewish genocide, thus it is unacceptable to any reasonable person
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 15, 2023

Not only that, he later explained further, stressing that censorship will affect anyone who calls for the liberation of Palestine, stating that "similar euphemisms" such as "from the river to the sea" also "necessarily imply genocide," and as such are considered to be "Clear calls for extreme violence are against our terms of service and will result in suspension."

As I said earlier this week, “decolonization”, “from the river to the sea” and similar euphemisms necessarily imply genocide.

Clear calls for extreme violence are against our terms of service and will result in suspension. https://t.co/1fCFo5Lezb
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 17, 2023

When faced with backlash, Musk attempts to equate the oppressor with the oppressed, the occupation army militarily and financially funded by dozens of countries and the international military complex, with the liberation movement equipped with locally manufactured artillery.

Musk said "At the risk of stating the obvious, anyone advocating the genocide of *any* group will be suspended from this platform," and people who support Palestine and its liberation reminded him that Gaza is currently facing ethnic cleansing and that officials and supporters of the Israeli occupation have openly called to "flatten Gaza" and "nuke", but that was fine until people called for Palestinian liberation, even less, a ceasefire.

At risk of stating the obvious, anyone advocating the genocide of *any* group will be suspended from this platform
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 17, 2023

🚨🇮🇱 This GENOCIDAL ZIONIST qualifies for a suspension! pic.twitter.com/tPvbN9PAx0
— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) November 18, 2023

Does it mean that Israeli government officials will be suspended ?
Ok , I have one , you can start from here … https://t.co/aO3vTou0NB pic.twitter.com/2oBCg0FfMr
— Dagny Taggart (@DagnyTaggart963) November 17, 2023

In turn, Caitlin Johnstone, writer, and pro-Palestine advocate, dubbed Musk's decision as "the single largest escalation in online censorship that has ever happened. Just outright suppressing normal political speech on completely false grounds."

Holy fucking shit. This is the single largest escalation in online censorship that has ever happened. Just outright suppressing normal political speech on completely false grounds. https://t.co/FCvrG7xiNv
— Caitlin Johnstone (@caitoz) November 18, 2023

Even the former senior editor for The Intercept and former National Press Secretary for Senator Bernie Sanders during the 2020 elections, Briahna Joy Gray, stated "At the risk of stating the obvious, establishment supporters of Palestinian genocide will be left alone," adding that "Anti-genocide activists will be censored based on the pro-genocide camp’s definition of a slogan."

At the risk of stating the obvious, establishment supporters of Palestinian genocide will be left alone. Anti-genocide activists will be censored based on the pro-genocide camp’s definition of a slogan. https://t.co/0pQZa58ZL0
— Briahna Joy Gray (@briebriejoy) November 17, 2023

This comes at a time when the US, Europe, and cities across the world are witnessing ever-growing pro-Palestine protests, reaching up to hundreds of thousands of people per protest. It is also not the first time that the Palestinian cause has been faced with such challenges for Meta and other platforms have censored pro-Palestine content long before X. To even go further, "Israel" has recently imposed a ban on Al Mayadeen for standing up to the oppressor and being a voice for liberation movements across the Arab world.

Eye on Palestine Instagram removal heightens censorship concerns

The prominent multilingual pro-Palestine Instagram account, Eye On Palestine, was suddenly suspended, leaving Instagram users frustrated and angry. This suspension sparked a wave of reactions on other social media platforms, such as X, with users expressing their concerns over censorship of pro-Palestinian content amid the ongoing genocide.

Jackson Hinkle, a well-known social media personality, expressed his disappointment over the significant ban, comparing it to the banning of Russian news at the start of the Ukraine war.

🚨🇵🇸 Zuckerberg’s Meta has BANNED the Instagram account “Eye on Palestine” with over 6 million followers!

🇷🇺 Reminds me of when they banned ALL RUSSIAN NEWS at the start of the Ukraine War! pic.twitter.com/2932KY9p7Q
— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) October 25, 2023

Another X user stressed the extensive reach of the account, which had over 6 million followers, and stated that its removal was driven by the fear of the truth.

A different user underscored the gravity of the situation, noting that Instagram had removed both Eye On Palestine accounts, effectively erasing a significant part of the historical record.

As a matter of fact, Instagram has faced criticism in the past for similar actions against accounts and posts that support Palestine. The Al Mayadeen English account was shortly suspended on Instagram, one of Meta's social media platforms, on October 9. The account was restored after filing an appeal, however, no reason was provided for the cause of the block, and no prior notice was given either. It is worth noting that our coverage follows journalistic standards and displays no graphic content that could have violated guidelines. It is also not the first time that Meta has taken such measures, as they have previously banned and blocked pro-Palestine accounts.

@Instagram temporarily suspended @AlMayadenEnglish account on #Instagram to censor its reporting on what is happening in #Palestine. The account was restored after filing an appeal.

Our account was suspended with no prior notice, nor were we informed of the true reason for the… pic.twitter.com/bFgBWpmy51
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 9, 2023

Al Mayadeen English was not the only news network or outlet that was blocked or suspended by Mark Zuckerberg's Meta. Global outlet Red Stream was also suspended on Instagram and has not restored its account yet.

Meanwhile, the news website, Mondoweiss, which provides news and analyses for people taking action for Palestine, as defined on its Twitter profile, confirmed that its TikTok account was "permanently banned". The reason it provided was the mere coverage of the events in Palestine. Mondoweiss slammed Meta's move as "an outrageous attack on press freedom," demanding that its account be reinstated.

"Israel" and its supporters have sought on numerous occasions to remove opposing voices from mainstream media and social media platforms so that its horrific crimes go undocumented.

This update serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges that advocates for Palestinian rights encounter in the digital realm. Eye On Palestine was well-known for its unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, regularly sharing news and videos depicting the plight of Palestinians living under oppression.