Meta accused of shadow-banning Palestinian activists

Pro-Palestinian content creators are accusing Meta of using shadow-banning techniques to restrict the visibility of their posts. Jerusalem-based journalist Faten Elwan, who has over 300,000 Instagram followers, reported a significant drop in engagement following account suspensions. Elwan stated that her content, which documents the Israeli occupation, often fails to reach her audience unless they specifically search for her name.

Elwan reported that her account has been taken down eight times since the start of the conflict in Gaza in late 2023. Despite meeting with Meta representatives in May 2025 to address these issues, she described their response as dismissive and noncommittal, noting that she feels like a “shadow on social media.”