Facebook has significantly limited the reach of Palestinian news outlets during the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, according to research conducted by the BBC.
An analysis of Facebook data revealed that news organizations operating in Gaza and the West Bank experienced a dramatic decrease in audience engagement following October 2023. Leaked documents also showed Instagram, another platform owned by Meta, intensified moderation of Palestinian user comments during the same period.
Meta has denied allegations of deliberately suppressing certain voices, stating that such claims are “unequivocally false.”
A Decline in Engagement
As international reporters faced restricted access to Gaza, social media became a critical platform for updates. Facebook pages of Palestinian news outlets like Palestine TV and Wafa news agency served as vital information sources.
However, BBC Arabic found a 77% drop in engagement on 20 prominent Palestinian news pages after Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. For example, Palestine TV, with 5.8 million followers, saw a 60% reduction in post visibility.
Tariq Ziad, a journalist at the channel, described the situation: “Interaction was completely restricted, and our posts stopped reaching people.”
Concerns over “shadow-banning” by Meta have grown among Palestinian journalists, who fear their content is being intentionally limited.
Comparison with Israeli News Outlets
In contrast, the BBC’s analysis of 20 Israeli news outlets, including Yediot Ahronot and Channel 13, revealed a 37% increase in audience engagement over the same period.
While Meta has been accused of bias in content moderation, a 2021 independent report suggested the issue stemmed from a lack of Arabic-language expertise among moderators. Misinterpretations of Arabic phrases, such as translating “Alhamdulillah” (Praise be to God) as something violent, have exacerbated these concerns.
The BBC also examined engagement for 30 Arabic-language news outlets outside the Palestinian territories, such as Al-Jazeera and Sky News Arabia, and found an average 100% increase in engagement.
Meta’s Response
Meta acknowledged implementing “temporary product and policy measures” during October 2023. The company stated it aimed to balance freedom of speech with the need to regulate content linked to Hamas, a US-sanctioned and Meta-designated dangerous organization.
While Meta admitted it makes mistakes, it rejected the idea of deliberate suppression, saying war-focused pages were more likely to see changes in engagement.
Instagram Moderation Changes
Leaked documents shared by a former Meta employee revealed changes to Instagram’s algorithm that increased moderation of Palestinian users’ comments after the Hamas attacks. One employee raised concerns that this change could introduce bias against Palestinians.
Meta justified the adjustment as a response to a rise in hateful content but claimed the measures were later reversed, without specifying when.
Challenges for Palestinian Journalists
Despite the challenges, Palestinian journalists continue their work under extreme conditions. At least 137 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the war began.
Omar el Qataa, a photojournalist in northern Gaza, described the difficulty of sharing graphic content, saying, “A lot of information can’t be published… But despite the risks and content bans, we must continue sharing Palestinian content.”