On Thursday, Meta's independent Oversight Board announced it will review the company's handling of violent content on its social media platforms in relation to two cases concerning hostage-taking and bombings in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement (Hamas). A new fast-track review mechanism, announced earlier this year, will be used for the first time in these two cases. The board is required to make decisions within 30 days, having previously taken months to deliberate on such issues.
The board's decision to examine these cases comes amid the spread of violent, misleading, and hate-inciting content on social media during the war that erupted two months ago, following Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7. In response to the Hamas attack, Meta reduced its standards for removing potentially harmful content, including posts that clearly identify the hostages held by Hamas.
The company has also faced accusations of limiting expressions of support for Palestinians living under Israeli bombardment in Gaza since the Hamas attack. The board highlighted a case in which Meta removed an Instagram video depicting the aftermath of an explosion at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which included images of dead and wounded children. The caption of the clip alleged that the "occupying force" bombed the hospital, a clear reference to the Israeli military. Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in the Palestinian territories, has been a focal point for accusations of war crimes on both sides of the conflict. Human Rights Watch stated last month that its investigation concluded the explosion at the hospital was likely caused by a rocket used by armed Palestinian factions.
Meta restored the content with an on-screen warning after the board selected the incident for review. The other incident involves a Facebook video showing a woman pleading with her captors not to kill her while being taken away on a motorcycle. The board noted that a comment encouraged people to raise awareness about the events of October 7. Meta initially deleted the video but reversed its decision weeks later in response to trends about how hostage-taking videos are shared, according to the board. As with the first incident, the video was eventually restored with an on-screen warning. Meta stated in a statement that it welcomes the board's review and is committed to implementing its decision in all cases.
