Journalists and digital rights advocates have long drawn attention to the unequal access and experience of Palestinians and Palestinian narratives on social media platforms, with repeated reports of unjustified takedowns, account suspensions, and censorship of certain types of content online regularly reported. In the midst of a new wave of violence and conflict in Gaza and the Palestinian Occupied Territories this month, the topic of free speech online, and the role of social media in meditating the Israel-Palestine relationship, has begun to gain more international attention.
What are the implications of social media companies’ content moderation policies, and how do they influence the experiences and realities of Palestinians and advocates for Palestinian rights? How do Israeli and Palestinian authorities relate to their platform and power online? What are the implications for how social media platforms wield their narrative power as the conflict continues? The MEI Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli Affairs Program and Cyber Program are pleased to present the first in a two-part series on this critical issue.
Speakers:
Ignacio Delgado Culebras
MENA correspondent, Committee to Protect Journalists
Marwa Fatafta
MENA policy manager, Access Now
Aisha Jitan
Digital communications associate, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights
Eliza Campbell, moderator
Associate director, Impact and Innovation, MEI
Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images