Meta recently issued an apology for mistakenly removing posts from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim about the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
This apology followed a formal complaint from Anwar’s office, which sought clarification on why his Facebook and Instagram posts, detailing Haniyeh’s death, were taken down. Meta, the parent company of these social media platforms, explained that the removal was due to an “operational error.” They have since reinstated the posts with the appropriate newsworthy label.
The incident occurred after Haniyeh, a prominent figure in the Palestinian group Hamas, was killed in Tehran. The attack, which Israel has not officially commented on, sparked controversy. Anwar’s posts included a video where he extended his condolences during a call with a Hamas official.
Meta’s removal of these posts was initially marked with a note indicating their association with “dangerous individuals and organizations.” Anwar’s office criticized this action as a “blatant suppression of free expression,” prompting calls for Meta to address the issue.
Anwar had previously criticized Meta, accusing the company of “cowardice” for the removal. Despite the controversy, Anwar has defended Malaysia’s engagement with Hamas, emphasizing that the country maintains relations with Hamas’ political wing rather than its military faction.
