LGBTQ+ and abortion organisations claim Meta is silencing their accounts in huge censorship sweep
The pattern of takedowns has been described by one campaigner as “one of the biggest waves of censorship” on Meta’s platforms
By Callum Wells
Meta is facing renewed scrutiny after more than 50 organisations providing queer advocacy and abortion access say their accounts have been restricted or removed.
The pattern of takedowns, which allegedly began in October across Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and WhatsApp, has been described by one campaigner as “one of the biggest waves of censorship” on Meta’s platforms.
According to reporting by the Guardian, the incidents resemble – and appear to intensify – enforcement practices first seen during Donald Trump’s presidency relating to abortion and LGBTQ+ content.
It comes a year after Meta was accused of shadow-banning accounts offering abortion guidance for Americans
Although many of the affected groups operate in the UK and Europe, organisations supporting women across Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East also report being caught up in the same enforcement actions.
These developments emerged roughly a year after the broadsheet revealed that Meta had been shadow-banning accounts offering guidance on how Americans could obtain abortion medication, significantly reducing their visibility.
Meta has denied operating any targeted crackdown. In a statement, the company said: “Every organization and individual on our platforms is subject to the same set of rules, and any claims of enforcement based on group affiliation or advocacy are baseless.”
Meta maintained that its existing approach remains unchanged, adding: “Our policies and enforcement regarding abortion medication-related content have not changed: we allow posts and ads promoting healthcare services like abortion, as well as discussion and debate around them, as long as they follow our policies.”
A Meta staff member is said to have privately warned an affected organisation
However, several groups say Meta rarely explains what rule has supposedly been broken. Women Help Women, a Netherlands-based nonprofit, said it received a notification last November informing staff that its Facebook page had been taken down because it “does not follow our Community Standards on prescription drugs”.
“They just removed it. That’s it. We don’t even know which post it was about,” said executive director Kinga Jelinska.
Meta told the Guardian that more than half of the accounts highlighted by Repro Uncensored have since been restored. But Carolina Are, a fellow at Northumbria University’s Centre for Digital Citizens, said this is consistent with a recurring pattern in which public criticism prompts reversals. She also noted that Meta’s appeals system has become increasingly slow and difficult to navigate – something the company has itself previously acknowledged.
In one instance, a Meta staff member is said to have privately contacted an affected organisation, warning that similar bans were likely to continue. The employee reportedly suggested the group should start a mailing list instead of depending on the platform.
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