Meta's automated tools removed Israel-Hamas war content that didn't break its rules

Meta's Oversight Board has published its decision for its first-ever expedited review, which only took 12 days instead of weeks, focusing on content surrounding the Israel-Hamas war. The Board overturned the company's original decision to remove two pieces of content from both sides of the conflict. Since it supported Meta's subsequent move to restore the posts on Facebook and Instagram, no further action is expected from the company. However, the Board's review cast a spotlight on how Meta's reliance on automated tools could prevent people from sharing important information. In this particular case, the Board noted that "it increased the likelihood of removing valuable posts informing the world about human suffering on both sides of the conflict in the Middle East."