Meta to remove more posts targeting ‘Zionists’ after updating hate speech policy

Meta announced on Tuesday that it was updating its hate speech policy to remove more hate speech. Posts targeting “Zionists” The study found that the term is frequently used in statements that dehumanize Jews or Israelis, call for harm against them or deny their existence.

The parent company is Facebook and Instagram Mehta explained the change in a Transparency Center blog post, noting that the move came after the term “Zionist” had been reviewed on other occasions over the past few years before being considered at Mehta’s policy forum in March. Mehta said, “The word ‘Zionist’ has multiple layers of meaning based on its origins and its usage today, and can also be highly context-dependent.”

“The term often refers to supporters of political movements, which in itself is not a protected characteristic under our policy, but in some cases is used as a proxy for being Jewish or Israeli, which are characteristics protected under our hate speech policy,” Mehta explained.

“We recognize that there is nowhere close to a global agreement on what the word ‘Zionist’ means. However, based on our research, engagement, and on-platform investigations into the use of the term as a proxy for Jews and Israelis in connection with certain types of hateful attacks, we will be removing content that targets ‘Zionists’ with dehumanizing comparisons, calls to harm, and denial of their existence, because ‘Zionist’ in these cases is often seen as a proxy for Jews and Israelis,” Mehta wrote.

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According to the company, Meta has previously removed posts that referenced “Zionists” under its hate speech policy “in two limited circumstances: (1) when Zionists were likened to rats, reflecting known anti-Semitic imagery, and (2) when it was clear from the context that ‘Zionist’ meant ‘Jewish’ or ‘Israeli’.”

While such posts will still be removed under the hate speech policy, the broader application of the hate speech rules to the term “Zionist” will also result in the removal of posts that do not explicitly refer to the Zionist political movement, use anti-Semitic stereotypes, or threaten other kinds of harm through intimidation or violence against Zionists. Jewish or Israeli? “In the name of attacking Zionists”

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Anti-Zionist rhetoric is often used in anti-Semitic attacks against Jews and Israelis, and Mehta (Lindsay Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images/Getty Images)

Mehta gave an example of a post referencing Zionists that violated the updated terms. Hate Speech Policyinclude:

• Claims that they run the world and control the media.
• Dehumanizing comparisons, such as comparisons to pigs, filth, vermin, etc.
• demanding physical harm;
• Denial of existence;
• Being mocked for your illness.

The company: Community Standards On the Meta platform, “violations may result in the suspension or deletion of accounts posting them.”

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The Middle East war, sparked by Hamas attacks on Israel, has sparked a wave of protests containing anti-Zionist rhetoric, like this sign at McGill University in Montreal. (GRAHAM HUGHES/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

One of the issues related to the use of the term “Zionist” that Mehta pointed out is the comparison of Zionists to criminals, which is still under review.

The company’s investigation found that in several cases describing groups with protected characteristics as criminals has become “shorthand for governments, soldiers and other specific groups.”

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The company has grouped these cases into Comparing crimes The company’s independent oversight board will provide guidance to its policy department on how to handle such references under its hate speech policy.