KUALA LUMPUR – Social media giant Meta’s oversight board is seeking public input on whether Facebook posts with the phrase “from the river to the sea” should be removed and placed under stricter moderation efforts.
In a post on its website, the board pointed to three specific posts containing the phrase uploaded to Facebook in November 2023.
Meta had opted to leave the posts on the platform after numerous reports by users claiming that they had violated community standards.
The board said for each of the three cases, it would decide whether content should be removed under Meta’s policies and according to its human rights responsibilities.
“The board selected these cases to consider how Meta should moderate the use of the phrase given the resurgence of its use after October 7, 2023 and controversies around the phrase’s meaning.
“On the one hand, the phrase has been used to advocate for the dignity and human rights of Palestinians. On the other hand, it could have antisemitic implications, as claimed by users who submitted the cases to the board.”
In the first case, a Facebook user’s comment on another user’s video was reported seven times by four users after it was viewed approximately 3,000 times while the second case involved a post that garnered about 8 million views and was reported 951 times by 937 users.
The third case concerns a Facebook page resharing a post from a community organisation. The post had less than 1,000 views and was reported by one user.
Meanwhile, the board said after it selected the cases for review, Meta confirmed its original decision to not take down the posts was “correct”.
The board said Meta stated that without additional context, it could not conclude that the phrase constituted a call to violence, a call for exclusion of any particular group, or linked exclusively to support for Hamas.
“Meta informed the board that it analysed the content under three policies – violence and incitement, hate speech as well as dangerous organisations and individuals – and found the posts did not violate any of the policies.
“Meta explained the company is aware that ‘from the river to the sea’ has a long history and that it had reviewed the use of the phrase on its platform after October 7, 2023.”
As such, the board said that it would appreciate public comments addressing the origin and current use of the phrase as well as research into online trends in content using the phrase and any associated online and offline harms from the use of the phrase.
It is also looking for input on Meta’s human rights responsibilities in relation to content using the phrase including freedom of expression, freedom of association as well as equality and non-discrimination principles.
Insight regarding state and educational institutes’ response to the use of the phrase, such as during protests, and the human rights impacts of those responses is also sought by the board.
Following the collection of public comments, the board can issue policy recommendations to Meta, which will have to respond to the non-binding suggestions within 60 days.
The public comment window will be closed on May 21. – May 9, 2024