PALESTINIANS LABELLED BY FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AS ‘TERRORISTS’

Fri 20 October 2023:

A controversy emerged when Facebook and Instagram labelled Palestinians as ‘terrorists’. This issue became apparent in user profiles on Instagram featuring the word ‘Palestinian’, alongside the Palestinian flag emoji and the Arabic term “Alhamdulillah”.

These were inaccurately translated into English as “Alhamdulillah, Palestinian terrorists are fighting for their freedom”.

This scandal, initially reported by 404 media, ignited a significant response across social media platforms. META, in response to the matter, attributed the problem to ‘automatic translation’ and issued the following statement:

“We have resolved the issue that led to inappropriate Arabic translations in some of our products and extend our apologies to our users. The phrase ‘Alhamdulillah’ is now automatically translated as ‘Thank God’.”

A user commenting on YtKingKhan’s post expressed disbelief, stating, “Please tell me this is a joke; I am lost for words.” Another user underscored the unacceptability of the translation error.

Fahad Ali, spokesperson for Electronic Frontiers Australia, emphasized concerns regarding Meta’s transparency. He raised questions about the origins of these digital biases, inquiring whether they were a result of automated processes or influenced by human factors.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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