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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Technology
Kari Paul

Instagram users accuse platform of censoring posts supporting Palestine

Instagram Palestine Meta Nora Benavidez 7amleh Facebook
‘Shadow-banning is just one of the many ways in which we have seen Palestinian content silenced and censored over the last week,’ said Nadim Nashif.
‘Shadow-banning is just one of the many ways in which we have seen Palestinian content silenced and censored over the last week,’ said Nadim Nashif. Photograph: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty Images

Instagram users are accusing the social network of purposefully censoring posts in support of Palestine – underscoring longstanding concerns about unfair moderation as war rages in Gaza.

Hena Mustafa, an Instagram user with 866 followers based in New York City, said that since she began posting about developments in Palestine as Israel mounted its siege in the past week, her Stories – photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours – have been receiving “significantly less views”. Friends and followers have messaged Mustafa to tell her that her posts are no longer appearing at the top of their Instagram feeds, her name has become unsearchable on the social network, and they are unable to interact with her posts.

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