Meta oversight board asks firm not to automatically remove pro-Palestinian phrase

(Reuters) - Meta Platforms' Oversight Board said on Wednesday the Facebook parent should not automatically remove a phrase seen by some as displaying solidarity with Palestinians and by others as an endorsement of violence against Jews.

The board, which operates independently but is funded by the U.S. social media firm, said the phrase "From the river to the sea" has several meanings, and as such its use cannot in itself be deemed to be harmful, violent or discriminatory.

The phrase refers to the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea, between which lie Israel and the Palestinian territories. It is often chanted at pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Critics of the phrase say it is antisemitic and a call for Israel's eradication. Other groups dispute that interpretation.

"Context is crucial," said Oversight Board co-chair Pamela San Martin. "Simply removing political speech is not a solution. There needs to be room for debate, especially during times of crisis and conflict."

The Oversight Board said it came to the conclusion after it had reviewed three cases involving content posted on Facebook by different users containing the phrase.

"We welcome the board's review of our guidance on this matter," Meta said in a statement. "While all of our policies are developed with safety in mind, we know they come with global challenges and we regularly seek input from experts outside Meta, including the Oversight Board."

Alex Abdo, litigation director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University that promotes free speech, called the decision by the board "thoughtful (and in my opinion, correct)."

The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, said the decision was "short-sighted."

"Usage of this phrase has the effect of making members of the Jewish and pro-Israel community feel unsafe and ostracized," it said.

The board also called on Meta to improve access to data for journalists and researchers, less than a month after Meta discontinued CrowdTangle, a tool widely used to check misinformation and conduct research on content on Meta's platforms, including Instagram.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

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