A new report issued by the “7amleh” Center (The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media) has unveiled oppressive practices by major tech companies targeting employees who support Palestinian rights. The report highlights testimonies from current and former employees who have experienced censorship and discrimination in their workplaces.
The report, titled “Erasing the Cause: Employee Testimonies on the Suppression of Palestinian Advocacy in the Tech Sector”, sheds light on the role of these companies in stifling freedom of expression regarding Palestinian rights and implementing discriminatory policies against employees advocating for the cause.
The findings are based on 25 testimonies gathered from current and former employees of leading companies such as Meta, Google, Microsoft, Apple, LinkedIn, and Cisco.
The report reveals systemic policies within these companies aimed at suppressing support for the Palestinian cause and limiting employees’ ability to express their opinions. It also details how these companies remove and silence content related to Palestine, whether it reflects humanitarian sympathy with victims or calls for freedom and independence. The removals are often justified under pretexts such as “violating community guidelines” or “hate speech.”
Meta and the Removal of Palestinian Content
Testimonies included in the report indicate that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, enforces strict policies against any content addressing the Palestinian cause.
According to employees, any posts mentioning Palestine or Gaza, particularly those related to the war, are automatically removed. They shared that even simple calls to pray for Palestine or show solidarity with victims are considered violations of the company’s guidelines, which categorize Palestine as a “disputed region.”
The employees noted that these policies extend to seemingly neutral or humanitarian posts. Content expressing sympathy for Palestinians or victims in Gaza is removed, even if it contains no direct criticism.
In contrast, the report highlights that posts by employees supporting the Israeli occupation during the war have not faced the same level of scrutiny, revealing a clear bias in the company’s policies.
Google and the Ban on Palestinian-Related Events
The report states that Google has banned any events related to Palestine on its internal platforms since October 7, 2023, while publicly showing solidarity with other causes, such as support for the Ukrainian people.
Employees reported that the company removed posts expressing sorrow or sympathy for victims of the war in Gaza, including posts by Palestinian employees. These actions were justified under claims of “ensuring safety” or “avoiding hate speech.”
Mohammed, a former Google employee who was dismissed in April 2024, spoke of systematic targeting of pro-Palestinian employees within the company. He explained that employees supporting Israel would report posts expressing grief or mourning, leading to their deletion.
In his testimony, Mohammed said: “We were targeted and silenced even in our mourning. Our posts were deemed guideline violations, despite being devoid of incitement of any kind.”
Controversial Donations via Apple
Tariq, a former Palestinian employee at Apple, revealed that the company facilitates donations to extremist Israeli groups through the Benevity platform, which enables employees to contribute to various organizations. He noted that some of these recipient groups support or arm Israeli settlements.
The report also mentions that Apple matches employee donations made to the Israeli military through the platform, raising serious questions about the company’s role in supporting the Israeli occupation and its practices. Tariq explained that these policies upset Palestinian employees, but the company’s senior management offered no response.
Microsoft and Hate Speech
At Microsoft, Palestinian employees described the work environment on internal platforms as explicitly hostile to Arabs. One employee noted that numerous posts on these platforms contained statements labeling Palestinians as “subhuman” and justifying Israeli attacks on children and hospitals.
The report pointed out that such posts were not removed, while posts supporting Palestinians were immediately flagged and deleted, reflecting a clear discriminatory policy.
A Microsoft employee stated: “Content inciting violence against Palestinians was allowed, while any expression of support for the Palestinian cause faced bans or severe censorship.”
Wider Implications
The report concludes that these practices in major tech companies go beyond digital censorship, reflecting a deeper role in supporting colonial and imperialist policies that align with Western and capitalist interests.
The “7amleh” Center emphasized that these policies contradict principles of justice and human rights, directly impacting employees’ ability to freely express their opinions in workplace environments.
