Meta platforms face scrutiny over Palestinian content restrictions

A report by 7amleh and the University of Utrecht has documented 3,520 confirmed cases of content restrictions affecting Palestinian users on Facebook and Instagram between January 2021 and December 2025. Titled ‘The Platformicide of Palestine 2021–2025’, the study uses the term ‘platformicide’ to describe what it identifies as a structural removal of Palestinian visibility and participation on digital platforms.

The documented restrictions include account suspensions, post removals, limitations on live broadcasts, and reduced content distribution. The researchers argue these issues are not merely technical errors or isolated moderation decisions. While the report does not conclude that Meta deliberately censored individual users, it highlights significant issues with Meta’s ‘Dangerous Organizations and Individuals’ (DOI) policy.

Data shows that only 32.5% of the documented cases involved an identifiable policy violation. Among cases where a reason was provided, the DOI policy accounted for 57.2% of restrictions. This figure rose to 71.1% when the affected individuals were journalists, raising questions regarding the precise application of these policies within the context of the Gaza conflict.