After a detailed review, Meta’s independent Oversight Board has advised ending the widespread ban on the Arabic word “shaheed” on Tuesday, March 26. This term, translating to “Islamic martyr” but also meaning “to bear witness” or “testify” in Arabic, was found to overly restrict content from millions of users.
The board noted that Meta’s approach disproportionately limits free expression, with “shaheed” leading to more content removal than any other term across its platforms.
Criticism of censoring the word grew amid the intensifying conflict between Israel and Hamas in October, with civil rights groups accusing the social media giant of censoring support for Palestinians.
Meta argued that extremists use “shaheed” to glorify terrorism, but it didn’t consider the word’s various meanings that don’t glorify martyrdom.
Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Oversight Board co-chair and former prime minister of Denmark, criticized the policy.
“Meta has been operating under the assumption that censorship can and will improve safety, but the evidence suggests that censorship can marginalize whole populations while not improving safety at all,” Thorning-Schmidt said.
Meta has promised to review the board’s feedback and will respond within 60 days to accept or deny the policy recommendation.
