Meta’s supervisory board says it will reconsider its approach to the word “martyr” in Arabic
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The Meta Platforms Supervisory Board said Thursday, March 09, 2023 that it will reconsider the approach to dealing with the word “martyr” in Arabic, as it is responsible for more content removals on its platforms than any other single word or phrase.
The council said Mita sought its advice on whether to continue removing posts using the word “martyr” to refer to individuals classified as dangerous or use a different approach.
“This is a complex issue that affects how millions of people express themselves online and whether Muslim and Arabic-speaking communities are subject to excessive control over their content due to Meta moderation practices,” said council director Thomas Hughes.
The Board noted that the word approach could lead to over-control, particularly in Arabic-speaking countries, and could have an impact on news coverage in those regions and called for assistance in its deliberations through public comments.
The oversight board was established in late 2020 to review Facebook and Instagram’s decisions about removing or retaining certain content and making decisions about upholding or overturning the social media company’s actions.
The council also said today that it would consider a case involving a publication calling for a “siege” of the Brazilian Congress after the election of President Lula da Silva.