Palestinian-related content is not being "shadow banned" by social media firms, according to their rebuttal.

• International media outlets are blocked from reporting on the besieged Gaza Strip, as foreign journalists are not permitted to report from the area.
• Journalists have implored Israel to reconsider access, asserting that on-site reporting is "indispensable."
• Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan accused major platforms of restricting Palestinian-related content related to the war.

Big Tech companies have refuted accusations of "shadow banning" their users for Palestinian-related content during the Gaza conflict, stating that the claim that they intentionally and systematically suppress a specific voice is untrue.

Since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in October, they have been accused of restricting certain content or users from their online communities.

Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan accused major platforms of limiting Palestinian-related content about the war.

Queen Rania stated at the Web Summit in Doha that it is difficult to verify whether one has been shadow-banned or censored, yet users struggle to trust platforms that regulate their content in secret, using unclear criteria.

According to a Human Rights Watch report, they have been criticized for relying too heavily on "automated tools for content removal to moderate or translate Palestine-related content."

At Web Summit Qatar last week, Snapchat's MENA vice president, Hussein Freijeh, stated that these companies have a crucial role to play in the region.

"Freijeh stated that the platform has all the algorithms in place to moderate content and employs a human component to ensure the safety of the community."

The conflict between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli narratives has made social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook essential sources for users seeking information about the conflict.

Journalists have pleaded with Israel to reconsider access to the Gaza Strip, insisting that on-site reporting is essential.

Middle East depends on social media

In 2023, a UNESCO report stated that young people in the Middle East and North Africa region primarily obtain their information from YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

Nearly two-thirds of the population in the Middle East and North Africa under the age of 30 rely on social media for news, according to the OECD.

Numerous Instagram users who wished to remain anonymous have informed CNBC that their posts or stories featuring footage of the Gaza war or commentary by Palestinian or pro-Palestinian voices garnered less engagement than their other posts not related to the conflict.

Instagram users have reported that their posts take longer to be seen by followers or are sometimes skipped in a sequence of stories. Additionally, some users have reported that their posts were deleted by Instagram and were informed that they violated "community guidelines."

An Instagram user informed CNBC that the "shadow banning" on their account and others in their network did not start on Oct. 7, as they noticed a restriction on content related to violence between Israelis and Palestinians, specifically during the forced removal of families in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in 2021. CNBC has not confirmed these allegations.

In December of last year, Instagram introduced a "fact-checking" feature, sparking rumors that the platform was suppressing specific content.

In December 2023, a Human Rights Watch report revealed that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has a history of excessive censorship of content related to Palestine.

On Instagram and Facebook, Meta has been suppressing voices in favor of Palestine and Palestinian human rights through increased censorship of social media.

Over 1,000 content takedowns were documented on Instagram and Facebook platforms from 60 countries between October and November 2023, as reported in the document.

A Meta spokesperson stated to CNBC that the HRW report fails to consider the challenges of enforcing policies worldwide during a rapidly evolving, highly divisive, and intense conflict, which has resulted in an increase in content being reported to the company.

"We strive to create a platform where all voices are heard while maintaining a safe environment. Although we recognize that mistakes can occur and cause inconvenience, it is important to clarify that we do not intentionally or systematically suppress any particular voice."

Instagram does not intentionally limit people's stories reach or hide/deprioritize posts from a user's followers based on whether a hashtag tagged to the post is blocked, according to a Meta spokesperson who spoke to CNBC.

Meta employs technology and human review teams to identify and review content that violates its Community Guidelines. If a decision is found to be incorrect, the content will be restored.

Meta informed CNBC that due to the increased volume of content being reported to them, there is a possibility that content that does not violate their policies may be mistakenly removed.