Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced Tuesday it will lift its comprehensive ban on the word "shaheed" (martyr). The decision comes after a year-long review by its oversight board, which found the company's approach to be "overbroad," according to Reuters.
The social media conglomerate has faced criticism regarding its handling of content related to the Middle East. A 2021 study commissioned by Meta itself revealed that its approach had an "adverse human rights impact" on Arabic-speaking users of its services.
The oversight board, which operates independently despite being funded by Meta, initiated its review last year. The word "shaheed" was responsible for more content removals on the company's platforms than any other single word or phrase.
The term has varied meanings, generally referring to someone who has died for their religious beliefs or a cause. In the context of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, however, it is used to describe terrorists who have carried out attacks against Israelis or Jews.
In March, the review concluded that Meta's rules on "shaheed" failed to account for the word's diverse meanings, resulting in the removal of content not intended to praise violent actions.
Meta acknowledged the findings of the review on Tuesday and said its tests showed that removing content when "shaheed" was "paired with otherwise violating content captures the most potentially harmful content without disproportionally impacting the voice".
