Meta Relaxes Rules on Using the Word 'Shaheed,' or Martyr

Meta has lifted its ban on the word "shaheed," which translates to "martyr" in English, after a year-long review by its Oversight Board found the approach was overbroad.

As Reuters reports, the independent board told Meta it should allow the word "shaheed" on its platforms in all instances "unless the content otherwise violates policies or is shared with one or more of three signals of violence"—a visual depiction of a weapon, advocacy for using a weapon, or a reference to a designated event. 

Previously, Meta used up to six signals to determine if use of "shaheed" was violating its policies. As a result, the word accounted for more content removals on the company's platforms than any other word or phrase. Following criticism, Meta submitted a request for the Oversight Board’s to weigh in. It agreed, and over a year later has found that Meta's rules on "shaheed" failed to account for the word's variety of meanings and resulted in unnecessary removals.

Meta says dropping from six to three signals "captures the most potentially harmful content without disproportionality impacting voice.”

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The company pledged to "introduce updates in our next report for the Oversight Board on the progress towards fully implementing these recommendations."