Meta’s oversight board to review moderation of Arabic word ‘shaheed’

Meta Platforms’ oversight board stated on Thursday it could evaluate the moderation of the Arabic phrase “shaheed”, which implies “martyr” in English, because it accounts for extra content material removals on its platforms than some other single phrase or phrase.

Meta has requested the board for recommendation on whether or not it ought to proceed to take away posts that use the phrase “shaheed” to discuss with people designated as harmful or use a distinct strategy, the board stated.

“This is a complex moderation issue that impacts how millions of people express themselves online and whether Muslim and Arabic-speaking communities are subject to over-enforcement of their content because of Meta’s enforcement practices,” stated Thomas Hughes, director of oversight board administration.

Moderating the phrase could lead to over-enforcement, notably in Arabic-speaking nations, and will have an effect on news reporting in these areas, the board famous and known as for public feedback to help with its deliberations.

The oversight board was created in late 2020 to evaluate Facebook and Instagram’s selections on taking down or retaining sure content material and make rulings on whether or not to uphold or overturn the social media firm’s actions.

The board additionally stated on Thursday it could look right into a case associated to a publish calling for the “siege” of Brazil’s congress following the election of President Lula da Silva.

Calls for overhaulingIn December final 12 months, the oversight board really helpful that the corporate revamp its system exempting high-profile customers from its guidelines, saying the observe privileged the highly effective and allowed business pursuits to affect content material selections.

The association, known as cross-check, provides a layer of enforcement evaluate for thousands and thousands of Facebook and Instagram accounts belonging to celebrities, politicians and different influential customers, permitting them additional leeway to publish content material that violates the corporate’s insurance policies.

Cross-check “prioritises users of commercial value to Meta and as structured does not meet Meta’s human rights responsibilities and company values,” Oversight Board director Thomas Hughes stated in an announcement saying the choice.

The board had been reviewing the cross-check program since final 12 months, when whistleblower Frances Haugen uncovered the extent of the system by leaking inner firm paperwork to the Wall Street Journal.

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