WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Meta Platforms, Inc.'s (META) independent oversight
board has recently advised the company to lift its broad prohibition on the
common use of the Arabic term 'shaheed' or 'martyr' in English, citing that this
approach is excessively restrictive and hinders the expression of numerous
users.

While the board acknowledged that extremists may use the word to glorify
individuals who died in violent acts, they emphasized that 'shaheed' can have
non-glorifying connotations as well. The board, supported by Meta, advised the
platform to only remove posts containing 'shaheed' if they are associated with
clear indications of violence or violate other Meta policies.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, co-chair of the Oversight Board, criticized Meta's
belief that censorship enhances safety, arguing that it can alienate communities
without enhancing safety measures. This criticism has increased since the
conflict between Israel and Hamas in October, as rights organizations have
accused Meta of censoring content supporting Palestinians on Facebook and
Instagram during the conflict in Gaza.

'Terrorism destroys lives and undermines the very fabric of our societies, but
it is counterproductive to stop journalists from reporting on terrorist groups
and to limit people's ability to debate and condemn the violence they see around
them just because of the presence of a single word,' said Oversight Board
co-chair Helle Thorning-Schmidt, in the statement.

The Oversight Board stated that restricting discussions due to a single word can
be counterproductive. Meta's policy review on 'shaheed' in 2020 did not result
in a decision, leading to the Board's intervention in 2023. Meta requested the
Board's input following the internal disagreement.

The Board mentioned that 'shaheed' caused more removals on Meta platforms than
any other word or phrase. A Meta spokesperson stated that the company will
review the Board's feedback and respond within 60 days.



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