Meta is revising its moderation policy for the word "shaheed", recognizing its polysemy and cultural importance for the Arabic speaking community.
Moderation in social networks
Difficulties in translation
Meta was faced with the problem of interpreting the Arabic word "shaheed", which has different meanings depending on the context. The previous blanket ban on the use of this term did not take into account its linguistic versatility.
Policy Change
Based on the recent recommendations of the supervisory board, Meta plans to lift the strict restriction on the use of the word "shaheed". This decision was made taking into account the fact that this term may have different interpretations depending on the situation.
Meaning of the word
Literally translated, "shaheed" means "witness". Among Muslims and Orthodox Arabs, this word is most often used to mean “martyr for the faith.” However, it is worth noting that in the Ukrainian context this term has acquired a completely different meaning.
Criticism of previous policies
Oversight board report indicates Meta's previous approach did not take "linguistic complexity" into account words. This led to an inordinate number of post removals, especially from Arabic-speaking users who were "unfairly censored."
New approach to moderation
The Supervisory Board positively assessed Meta's decision to make changes to the moderation policy. The new approach will be more flexible and take into account the nuances of how the word "shaheed" is used, the council said.
Problems with Content Moderation
Facebook's moderation system is regularly criticized. This problem became especially acute after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when the social network began blocking Ukrainian users for publishing about the war. At the same time, the company has still not been able to effectively counter the spread of Russian propaganda and the activities of bots, despite an official appeal from the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine in July 2022.
Glossary
- Meta is an American technology company that owns social networks Facebook and Instagram
- Facebook is the largest social network in the world
- Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the government body responsible for the digitalization of the country
- Oversight Board - an independent body that oversees Meta's content moderation decisions
- Shaheed is an Arabic word with several meanings including " witness" and "martyr for the faith"
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Replies to questions
Why is Meta lifting the ban on the word 'shaheed'?
What are the main meanings of the word 'shaheed'?
How will Meta's approach to content moderation change after this decision?
What problems did Ukrainian Facebook users encounter after the start of the full-scale invasion?
Has Meta managed to cope with the spread of Russian propaganda on its networks?
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Discussion of the topic – Shaheed: How Meta revised its Arabic word moderation policy
Meta lifts Facebook's blanket ban on the word 'shaheed', recognizing its linguistic complexity and multiple meanings in Arabic. The decision follows recommendations from the supervisory board and marks a change in the company's content moderation policies.
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Olivia
Interestingly, Meta has finally revised its moderation policy. This is an important step towards a fairer treatment of Arabic-speaking users. 🤔
Hans
I agree, Olivia. But I worry about how they will define the context. After all, the word shaheed can also be used in a negative way. I hope they have a clear plan. 🧐
Amelia
Good question, Hans! Perhaps they will use AI to analyze the context. This could help with more accurate moderation. What do you think? 🤖
Jean
Amelia, AI is an interesting idea. But don't forget about cultural nuances. A machine may not be able to grasp all the subtleties of language and context. We need a balance between automation and human participation. 🔄
Igor
Ha, these fashionable things again! Previously, we lived without any AI and got along just fine. Why complicate things? Just ban it and that's the end of it. Otherwise, they started philosophy out of nowhere here. 😒
Sofia
Igor, I understand your irritation, but the world is changing. It's important to adapt. Meta's move could help many people express themselves more freely without fear of censorship. Is it bad? 🌍
Hans
Sofia is right. By the way, I wonder how this will affect Ukrainian users? After all, for them this word has a different meaning. Meta must take these regional differences into account as well. 🇺🇦
Amelia
Great point, Hans! Maybe we should use different approaches for different regions? This is complicated, but could solve the problem of different meanings of the word in different cultures. 🌐👥