By The Financial District
Apr 101 min
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, faced criticism and backlash after blocking a critical report from a non-profit newspaper, the Kansas Reflector, on its social media platforms.
The controversy began when users noticed that all links to the Kansas Reflector were flagged as cybersecurity threats, and their posts were removed from Facebook and other Meta-owned platforms. I Photo: Kansas Reflector Facebook
The incident intensified when Meta appeared to extend the censorship to links of an independent journalist who republished the report, as reported by Allison Morrow for CNN.
The controversy began when users noticed that all links to the Kansas Reflector were flagged as cybersecurity threats, and their posts were removed from Facebook and other Meta-owned platforms.
Most of the links were restored after seven hours, except for one column that criticized Facebook for suppressing posts related to climate change.
Meta apologized for the error, claiming it was unrelated to the newspaper's criticism. However, when users attempted to share the column on Facebook, Instagram, or Threads, they received warnings that it violated community guidelines.
Independent journalist Marisa Kabas sought permission to publish the column on her website, but shortly after sharing it on Threads, it was flagged and taken down for malicious content.
This incident raised concerns about censorship and the power of social media platforms to control information flow. Meta's actions drew scrutiny and fueled debates about freedom of speech and the responsibility of tech giants in moderating content on their platforms.