Meta Updates Policy to Remove Additional Posts Attacking 'Zionists'

Meta Updates Policies on Content Targeting 'Zionists'

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced it will intensify efforts to remove posts that attack "Zionists" when the term is used to represent Jewish people or Israelis broadly. Typically, Meta removes content that targets individuals based on “protected characteristics,” such as race, nationality, or religion, though political affiliation is not included in this category. However, the company notes that while Zionism is widely viewed as a political movement to establish a Jewish state in the Middle East, it is increasingly being used to refer to Jewish or Israeli people in general.

In a recent blog post, Meta stated, “We will remove content attacking ‘Zionists’ when it is not explicitly about the political movement, but instead uses antisemitic stereotypes, or threatens other types of harm through intimidation, or violence directed against Jews or Israelis under the guise of attacking Zionists.” The company's previous stance was to consider the term “Zionist” as a proxy for Jewish people in very specific cases, such as comparisons to rats. Now, the policy extends to phrases that do not explicitly mention “Jew” or “Israeli.”

This shift comes after several months of formal review on the use of “Zionists” on Meta’s platforms, although the company has been contemplating the best approach to regulate the term for the past three years. Vice President of Public Policy for Meta, Neil Potts, explained that they have consulted 145 stakeholders, including global academics and civil rights experts, to guide their decision-making process. Additionally, Meta has sought input from its external Oversight Board on how to handle comparisons between Zionists and criminals, like claims that "Zionists are war criminals."

Meta acknowledges that enforcing this new rule will be challenging. The blog post notes, “There is nothing approaching a global consensus on what people mean when they use the term ‘Zionist.’” Nonetheless, the company aims to remove posts that call for physical harm, dehumanize Zionists by comparing them to animals or "filth," or suggest that Zionists are "running the world or controlling the media."

This expanded policy comes in response to heightened tensions following Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in over a thousand deaths and the capture of several hundred people. Ongoing hostilities between the two sides have prompted Meta to implement multiple policy changes aimed at reducing posts showing violence from the attack or expressing support for Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the US and the European Union.

Meta’s decision reflects an ongoing effort to balance freedom of expression with the need to curb hate speech and violence against specific groups. As the company navigates these complex issues, it continues to engage with experts and stakeholders to fine-tune its policies in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.