Meta’s Instagram and Facebook blocked access to dozens of accounts in Tunisia and elsewhere including some that belonged to high-profile individuals and known influencers, amid the Israel-Gaza war.
Social media users have complained that posts and accounts have been removed or suspended due to their pro-Palestinian content in the wake of Israel’s intense bombardment of the Gaza, Palestine.
Among those whose accounts have been withheld and/or restricted in Tunisia include Louay Cherni also known as Must Last, influencers Khoubaib Jebabli, Nourchene Cheguenni and Mariem Debbagh.
In an interview with Mosaique FM last weekend, Mariem Debbagh confirmed that she received several alerts from Meta, her Instagram account got then restricted, and the posts are no longer can be seen by everyone.
Worldwide, hundreds of popular pro-Palestinian accounts linked with the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza have also been restricted or removed.
One Tunis-based Instagram user, who asked not to be named in fear of harassment, told Carthage Magazine that she had posted several stories regarding Gaza and Palestine that only received very low number of views within a couple of hours.
Some Instagram users have also complained of restrictions on their accounts and inability to livestream.
Social Media Users Claim Facebook & Instagram are Shadow-Banning Posts on Gaza
Thousands of Palestinian supporters say their social media posts have been suppressed or removed from Facebook and Instagram, even if the posts comply with the platforms’ rules.
Scores of Instagram users took to social media platform X on Saturday, October 16, to claim that their posts on the Israeli on Gaza are being “shadow-banned” by the Meta-owned social media platform.
While many claimed that their followers are being blocked from commenting on and sharing their posts, several users alleged that the views on their Instagram ‘Stories’ about Gaza and Palestine had drastically dropped compared to previous Stories.
Meta, the company which owns the two social media platforms, said that some of those posts were hidden from view because of an accidental bug in the company’s systems. In particular, posts of support for Palestinian civilians, many of whom have been displaced, injured or killed by Israeli airstrikes, were being hidden from the platforms, users said.
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[…] the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in October 2023, social media giants have actively suppressed pro-Palestinian narratives. They utilized several tactics, including suspending journalists’ and key media outlets’ […]