Note: Episode was recorded prior to 7th October 2023. 

In this episode, we have the privilege of hosting Nadim Nashif, exective director and co- founder of 7amleh: The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, a Palestinian digital rights organization dedicated to defending Palestinian digital rights online and  amplifying Palestinian voices on the internet and social media platforms. 

We delve into the various tactics employed by the Israeli government and digital and  social media oganizations to suppress these voices, discussing legislative efforts and the impact on free speech. 

Nadim sheds light on the Israeli government's strategies to suppress Palestinian voices online, including the introduction of legislation enabling the Israeli cyber unit to prosecute violators. These measures aim to control and manipulate the narrative surrounding Palestine within Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. 

We explore the  International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) new definition and its use in attacking and censorship of any voices critical of Israeli policies. Nadim highlights the adoption of this definition by governments and social media companies operating in Europe, effectively preventing criticism of the Israeli government and suppresing, blocking resulting in the removal of Palestinian content. 

Our discussion delves into the biases exhibited by social media companies, particularly X and Meta. Despite Meta establishing an oversight board for content moderation, a clear bias towards Palestinian content is evident, leading to suppression, removal, and shadow banning. This contrasts starkly with the treatment of content critical of Israel which is rarely moderated.

Nadim provides valuable insights on digital rights and cybersecurity. 7amleh supports activists and Palestinian civil society by offering guidance on safeguarding online information and privacy and in re enabling disabled accounts. The organization assists activitis and civil socity in providing them resources to counter various digital security threats to safeguard their work.

We address the issue of misinformation generated by artificial intelligence. Nadim highlights biases in AI-generated content, emphasizing the importance of pushing for positive, accurate narratives. We discuss the need to counter smear campaigns that undermine the credibility of Palestinian content online.

Our conversation delves into Meta's oversight board and its policies, which display a noticeable bias towards Israeli interests. We explore the direct coordination between Meta and Israeli cyber units, raising concerns about fair content moderation.

Nadim offers crucial advice to content creators, emphasizing the importance of diversifying platforms. He recommends maintaining an independent website alongside social media accounts to mitigate the risk of shutdowns. Archiving content securely is also emphasized.

This episode provides a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by Palestinian voices in the digital sphere. Nadim Nashif and 7amleh's efforts to combat online suppression and promote digital rights serve as a beacon of hope for activists and content creators alike and we highly recommend activists and individuals learn more and connect with 7amleh in order to keep their accounts safe and to report any concerns and issues faced online, directly to 7amleh.

Guest: Nadim Nashif, Executive Director and Co-Founder, 7amleh 

Connect with 7amleh:
Website: https://7amleh.org 
X: @7amleh
Instagram: @7amleh

Co-Hosts:
Lama Bazzari 
@cravingpalestine
@lamabazzari

Lina Hadid
@linahadid
@palestinelobby

Listen to full episode wherever you listen to podcasts and on YouTube and follow @freepalestinepod on Instagram and YouTube 

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