Meta Platforms announced on Tuesday that it will increase the removal of posts targeting "Zionists" when the term is allegedly used to reference Jewish individuals or Israelis, rather than simply those who support the political movement.

In a blog post, the company claimed it would take down content that attacks "Zionists" if it does not explicitly pertain to the political ideology and includes "antisemitic" stereotypes or threats of harm toward Jews or Israelis through intimidation or violence.

Meta's hate speech policy prohibits direct attacks on individuals based on what it defines as protected characteristics, encompassing race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, gender identity, and others.

Meta, the social media giant, has claimed that its current policies regarding the term "Zionist" fall short of addressing its broader uses beyond specific contexts where it refers to Jews or Israelis.

The company's updated policy comes after consultations with 145 stakeholders from civil society and academia globally.

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The big picture

Criticism of Meta's content moderation in relation to West Asia has intensified most notably amid the ongoing Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Human rights groups have accused Meta of censoring pro-Palestinian content on Facebook and Instagram, amplifying longstanding concerns about its approach to sensitive geopolitical issues.

#Palestinian users were deprived of their freedom of expression during the 2-week war on #Gaza by "Israel" last year, by having their content blocked on Facebook and penalizing Arabic-speaking users more heavily than those who spoke Hebrew. pic.twitter.com/DZC2NLV6sW

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) September 26, 2022

In December 2023, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report titled "Meta's Broken Promises: Systemic Censorship of Palestine Content on Instagram and Facebook."

At the time, the report revealed how moderation rules and algorithms have systematically stifled voices supporting Palestine on both platforms. It highlighted instances where protected speech, including nonviolent expressions and public discussions on Palestinian human rights, was suppressed.

According to HRW, an overreliance on automated technologies to monitor material and disproportionate government control over content deletions contribute to censorship.

Deborah Brown, acting associate technology and human rights director at HRW, said the censorship added "insult to injury at a time of unspeakable atrocities and repression already stifling Palestinians’ expression."

Brown notes that social media is a tool to witness this abuse and speak out against it and that censorship only furthers the suffering of Palestinians.

A previous HRW report in 2021 indicated Meta was “silencing many people arbitrarily and without explanation" regarding discussions about Palestine and "Israel".