The Facebook posts, according to the company’s moderators, did not violate any policies.
The Oversight Board of Meta is currently considering a new series of cases that are related to the discourse that surrounds the war between Israel and Hamas. There are three examples that include Facebook posts that utilized the term “from the river to the sea,” and the board has stated that it will investigate these situations.
The slogan has been the subject of increasing attention and examination ever since the assaults on October 7, despite the fact that its use stretches back several decades before the conflict that is currently taking place. “On the one hand, the word has been used to advocate for the dignity and human rights of Palestinians,” the board notes in a statement. “On the other hand, the phrase has been used to advocate… “On the other hand, it is possible that it could have antisemitic implications, as stated by the users who brought the cases before the Board,”
In each of the three instances, Meta determined that the posts did not breach its policies regarding the promotion of violent content, hate speech, or terrorist content. This is something that the board takes note of. It has been stated by the Oversight Board that it will “consider how Meta should moderate the use of the phrase given the resurgence in its use after October 7, 2023, and controversies surrounding the meaning of the phrase.”
However, this is not the first time that the Oversight Board has considered matters that are associated with the conflict between Israel and Hamas. In the past, the organization has taken on two issues about the removal of posts concerning the attacks that occurred on October 7 and the subsequent airstrike that occurred in Gaza. In those instances, which were the very first “expedited reviews” ever conducted by the organization, the board placed the burden on Meta’s automated moderating systems for the incorrect removal of posts that ought to have been left up.
Noteworthy is the fact that the board claims that all three posts in its most recent cases were initially shared in November of last year. In addition, in contrast to the earlier cases that were associated with the conflict, the Oversight Board will not be rushing through its approvals. With that in mind, it is possible that a decision will not be made public for several weeks. When the case is resolved, Meta will have sixty days to provide a response to any policy recommendations that are derived from it.