Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has allegedly restricted Palestinian news outlets since October 2023, according to a BBC investigation.
An analysis of Facebook data showed a steep decline in audience engagement for news organisations based in Gaza and the occupied West Bank following the escalation of violence in October. Leaked documents further revealed that Instagram intensified its moderation of Palestinian user comments during the same period.
As international journalists faced restrictions on entering Gaza, social media platforms became vital sources of information. However, outlets like Palestine TV, Wafa News Agency, and Al-Watan News experienced significant drops in visibility on Facebook.
BBC News Arabic examined data from 20 Palestinian news organisations, noting a 77% decline in engagement after 7 October 2023. Palestine TV, with 5.8 million followers, reported a 60% reduction in post views. Journalist Tariq Ziad said, “Interaction was completely restricted, and our posts stopped reaching people.”
In contrast, engagement for 20 Israeli news outlets, including Yedioth Ahronoth and Channel 13, grew by nearly 37% during the same period, raising questions about potential bias in Meta’s moderation practices.
The BBC interviewed current and former Meta employees, uncovering that Instagram’s algorithm was adjusted shortly after the October escalation. One anonymous source claimed the update made moderation more aggressive towards Palestinian content. Internal communications revealed concerns among engineers about the potential bias introduced by these changes.
Meta acknowledged modifying its algorithms, stating the changes aimed to address a spike in hateful content from Palestinian territories. The company asserted the measures had since been reversed but did not clarify when this occurred.
Palestinian journalists have long accused Meta of “shadow-banning,” whereby their content’s reach is deliberately restricted. The recent findings have reignited fears of systematic suppression during a critical time for global news.