An oversight committee overseeing content on Meta’s platform has called on the company to relax restrictions on Arabic words”Shahid“” means “martyr” in English. After careful review, the committee concluded that Meta’s blanket ban on the word was too broad, resulting in unnecessary suppression of the speech of millions of users in certain communities and regions.
According to Reuters, the committee recommended that Meta should only remove posts containing the word “shaheed” if they were associated with clear signs of violence or independently violated other Meta rules.
Under current policy, Meta removes instances of “shaheed” when referring to people deemed dangerous. However, the Oversight Board considered this approach too broad and restricted free speech and civil discourse. Co-chair Helle Thorning-Schmidt said the word has linguistic complexities and multiple meanings, not just “martyr” in English. The Board recognizes that while “Shahid“Violence may sometimes be glorified, but it is also used in neutral contexts such as reporting, academic discussions and human rights debates.
The board said Meta’s existing policies against inciting violence and supporting designated terrorists and terrorist organizations adequately address the risks associated with terrorist activity on its platform. They urged Meta to reconsider its moderation methods to prevent the removal of content that does not support terrorism or violence.
In response to these recommendations from the board, Meta is considering changing its policy regarding the use of the word on its platform. The committee recommended that Meta should remove content containing the term only if the post is associated with clear signs of violence, such as images of weapons, statements advocating violence, or references to assault. If the post violates other platform rules (such as glorifying terrorism), it should also be removed.
This comes after years of criticism over the way Meta manages content related to the Middle East. Criticism intensified during October’s hostilities between Israel and Hamas, with human rights groups accusing Meta of suppressing pro-Palestinian content on its platform. The Meta Oversight Board stated that regarding “ShahidThis statement remains valid even during crises such as the Gaza conflict.
According to USA Today, Meta has confirmed that it will review the feedback and respond within 60 days.
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