TikTok faces criticism for flagging ‘Free Palestine’ as hate speech


Dana Alomar
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TikTok users in the US have said comments containing the phrase “Free Palestine” are being flagged as hate speech. The controversy comes days after the platform was temporarily banned and then reinstated by an executive order from President Donald Trump.

Before the brief ban took effect on Sunday, TikTok was considered one of the few significant platforms that allowed pro-Palestinian content without bias. Screenshots and videos shared on X show comments being removed for allegedly breaching TikTok's hate speech rules.

One viral video, viewed more than eight million times, captures a notification from TikTok stating that the phrase “Free Palestine” was flagged for “hate speech and hateful behaviours”.

The backlash has been swift, with users on X accusing the platform of silencing Palestinian advocacy. This frustration has sparked broader questions about whether TikTok's moderation policies are being influenced by political pressures tied to its recent legal and political battles.

A representative for TikTok denied any bias against pro-Palestinian content in its content moderation. “Our community guidelines apply equally to all content on TikTok," the representative told The National. "TikTok does not moderate or remove content based on political sensitivities. We remove content if it violates community guidelines, but not on the basis of it being pro-Palestinian.”

A ban with political and security implications

TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, was initially given until January 19 to sell the platform to an American buyer or face a complete ban in the US. The legislation passed Congress with bipartisan support and was signed by Joe Biden, president at the time, because of national security concerns.

Politicians argued that TikTok could share user data with the Chinese government, posing a risk to US privacy and security. On Sunday, TikTok went offline for US users.

Within hours, Mr Trump announced plans to issue an executive order delaying the ban's enforcement to allow time for negotiations, effectively bringing TikTok back online. Mr Trump framed his intervention as a victory for free speech and the millions of Americans who use the platform.

“Americans deserve to see our exciting inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations,” Mr Trump said on his Truth Social platform. He also hinted at a potential solution involving a joint venture between ByteDance and an American owner to address national security concerns.

Despite Mr Trump's efforts, the long-term future of TikTok in the US remains uncertain. Critics within Mr Trump's Republican party, including senators Tom Cotton and Pete Ricketts, oppose any delay in the ban's enforcement, arguing that TikTok poses an immediate threat.

“Now that the law has taken effect, there is no legal basis for any kind of 'extension' of its effective date,” they said in a joint statement. "For TikTok to come back online in the future, ByteDance must agree to a sale that satisfies the law's qualified-divestiture requirements by severing all ties between TikTok and Communist China."

Tying ban to content moderation

Since Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel, US politicians have increasingly connected the potential TikTok ban to the platform's pro-Palestinian content. Last May, Mitt Romney, a US senator at the time, explicitly linked support for the ban to TikTok's content during a conversation with then secretary of state Antony Blinken at a McCain Institute forum in Sedona, Arizona.

“You have a social media ecosystem environment in which context, history, facts get lost and the emotion – the impact of images – dominates,” Mr Blinken said, responding to Mr Romney's query about the US and Israel's struggles to communicate justifications for the Gaza war.

Mr Romney suggested that TikTok's content might have influenced congressional support for the ban. “If you look at the postings on TikTok and the number of mentions of Palestinians, relative to other social media sites – it's overwhelmingly so among TikTok broadcasts," he added.

While the ban has been framed as a national security measure, Mr Romney's comments have also sparked a backlash from free-speech advocates, who argue that censoring content based on political viewpoints sets a dangerous precedent.

Censorship claims erode trust

The recent allegations of censorship have further fuelled distrust of TikTok among some users. Many have accused the platform of abandoning its role as a space for free expression, particularly for pro-Palestinian content.

As a result, users are increasingly migrating to alternative platforms including RedNote, a Shanghai-based social media app that has experienced a surge in American users. “We told you THIS is why they banned it,” one user wrote on X.

As debates about content moderation and political influence continue, creators and users wonder what is next for one of the world's most popular social media platforms.

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The bio:

Favourite holiday destination: I really enjoyed Sri Lanka and Vietnam but my dream destination is the Maldives.

Favourite food: My mum’s Chinese cooking.

Favourite film: Robocop, followed by The Terminator.

Hobbies: Off-roading, scuba diving, playing squash and going to the gym.

 

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

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If you go

Flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.

The stay

Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.

Biog

Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara

He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada

Father of two sons, grandfather of six

Plays golf once a week

Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family

Walks for an hour every morning

Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India

2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business

 

Wonka
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What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

THE SPECS

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Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 424hp

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The biog

Favourite colour: Brown

Favourite Movie: Resident Evil

Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices

Favourite food: Pizza

Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon

Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup 

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

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German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.

Updated: January 24, 2025, 5:25 AM