In a recent incident, Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has issued an apology for translating the word “Palestinian” to “terrorist” in the biographies of some Palestinian users. This translation error has sparked outrage among the affected users and garnered attention on social media platforms. Meta stated that it has fixed the issue, which it described as a brief problem with inappropriate Arabic translations. However, this incident has shed light on the larger issue of content suppression on Instagram, particularly regarding posts related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Many users have reported being “shadow banned” on Instagram for sharing pro-Palestinian content. Shadow banning is a practice where online platforms limit the visibility and reach of certain accounts or their content, usually due to a violation of community guidelines. Users claim that their Stories referencing the Israel-Gaza conflict have had fewer views compared to their other posts, and their accounts are not easily found in search. These allegations have raised concerns about the platform’s impartiality and its treatment of users engaging in political discussions.
The translation error was brought to light by an Instagram user who noticed the incorrect translation in their bio. The user, @khanman1996, shared a screen recording showing the translation error and expressed their disbelief that such a mistake could occur. Upon clicking “see translation,” viewers were met with an English translation that read, “Praise be to God, Palestinian terrorists are fighting for their freedom.” This incident not only raises questions about the accuracy of Instagram’s translation feature but also highlights the importance of linguistic proficiency and cultural sensitivity in technology companies.
Meta has acknowledged the bug that affected Stories but denied any connection to the subject matter. The company released a transparency tool in 2022 that allows users to check if any restrictions have been placed on their accounts preventing their posts from being recommended to others. However, users, including public figures like Bella Hadid and Fatima Bhutto, have claimed that their content related to the Israel-Gaza conflict has been suppressed, further fueling the controversy surrounding Instagram’s moderation practices.
This is not the first time Meta has faced accusations of suppressing pro-Palestinian content. In 2021, the charity Human Rights Watch accused Instagram of removing posts related to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, citing “hate speech or symbols” as the reason. Meta responded by changing its algorithm and commissioned an independent review by consultancy firm Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). The BSR report, published in 2022, concluded that Meta’s actions had a negative impact on the freedom of expression, assembly, political participation, and non-discrimination rights of Palestinian users.
The incident has also caught the attention of the European Commission, which has formally requested Meta and TikTok to provide more information about their measures to combat disinformation and illegal content following the attacks carried out by Hamas. This indicates that the incident has broader implications regarding the platform’s responsibility in controlling the spread of harmful content and ensuring user safety.
In light of this incident, there are several important considerations. Firstly, technology companies should prioritize linguistic accuracy and cultural sensitivity in their translation features to avoid similar translation errors that can have significant ramifications. Additionally, there is a need for greater transparency and accountability in Instagram’s content moderation practices. The platform should provide detailed explanations to users whose posts or accounts are removed and work on improving the language skills of their moderation staff to ensure fair treatment of users from different linguistic backgrounds.
Moreover, the incident highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing freedom of expression with community guidelines on social media platforms. Instagram and other similar platforms need to navigate these complex issues and ensure that their moderation practices do not unduly suppress certain viewpoints or limit political discussions on important topics.
Overall, this incident serves as a reminder of the power and responsibility that social media platforms hold in shaping public discourse and the importance of continually improving their policies and practices to promote a fair and inclusive online environment where diverse voices can be heard and respected.
