Meta Approves Use of Controversial Palestinian Slogan 'From the River to the Sea
Sep 4, 2024
Meta’s Oversight Board says "From the River to the Sea" doesn’t break content rules, even though it’s controversial and used in pro-Palestinian posts.
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On Wednesday, Meta's Oversight Board made a big decision about the phrase "From the River to the Sea." This slogan, used by many people who support Palestinians, will not be banned from Meta’s platforms.
The phrase "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" has been popular since the recent fighting in Gaza. Some people think it’s a way to support Palestinian freedom. But Israel and others say it’s anti-Semitic.
Meta’s Oversight Board, the top group for deciding what stays or goes on Meta’s platforms, looked at three cases with this phrase. They decided that using this phrase didn’t break Meta’s rules about hate speech, violence, or dangerous groups. So, they chose not to remove these posts.
The Board said, "The phrase has different meanings and is used in many ways by different people." They added that the posts in question showed support for Palestinians but didn’t call for violence or exclusion.
The phrase refers to the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, covering Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Some people use it to call for Palestinian rights and equality. Others use it to argue for a single country where Jews and Palestinians live together.
But many Israelis and Jews see this slogan as a way to destroy Israel as a Jewish state.
The Board also mentioned that some members thought the phrase might encourage violence, especially after recent attacks by the Hamas group on October 7. They suggested that unless posts with this phrase clearly say otherwise, they might be seen as supporting violence.
In the end, Meta’s Oversight Board decided that the phrase "From the River to the Sea" doesn’t break Meta’s rules. This decision shows how complicated it is to decide what content should be allowed on social media and how people can understand phrases differently.
