Instagram pivots to include more news content in feeds after backlash over Palestinian...

[emmagarofalo]

In context: Instagram is making an effort to populate newsfeeds with an equitable mix of both stories from friends and re-shared posts conveying the latest from the Gaza Strip. After weeks of "accidentally" allowing posts with a Pro-Palestinian edge to fall by the wayside, however, both employees and users are beginning to grow suspicious.

After facing some criticism over what users perceived to be a muffling of new information from the Israeli-Palestinian border, Instagram has modified the algorithm curating newsfeeds to include more news content than before.

Concerned employees within the company noticed that some pro-Palestinian content being shared by users was not reaching its intended audience.

After appealing to their leadership, the employees brought to light the fact that much of what was in place on the platform was not built to scale, especially into politically turbulent times like ours. Posts from mosques and other respectable pro-Palestinian groups were also being lost in the shuffle.

Insider reps continue to defend the algorithm as it existed, insisting that nothing was being repressed. Rather, they claim that the phenomenon was a result of the platform favoring that previously mentioned local content. They pledge to amend the issue gradually over time, so as not to disrupt the user experience.

This is not the first time that Instagram has been accused of playing in favor of one side or the other, and Twitter in recent weeks has fallen under similar fire. Those on the front lines are reaching out desperately through all channels in an effort to be heard beyond the digital wall. "Arbiters of truth" or not, online platforms are powerful tools of unity for both sides of the matter, and they ultimately owe an obligation to the society they have so much influence over.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/89905-instagram-pivots-include-more-news-content-feeds-after.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

And this is the reason we need more foreign countries to host Social Media/ Shock sites:

I hate Facebook and anything they are associated with.

The only "truth" is coming from the uncensored videos filmed by "real journalists" who are on scene and bringing you the absolute truth.

It's so difficult to lie about what we are seeing and hearing first hand.

The media doesn't like that.

Smuckerberg doesn't like competition.

Nor does MSNBC, CNN or Fox.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Well, just because something is controversial, doesn't mean that both sides are right.... While I don't think we should be censoring TRUE stories, if they're full of lies, then I see no problem with it...

I do love how people are jumping in to support the "Palestinians" when it was their side that started this round of hostilities by launching rockets into Israel... Kind of like getting mad that a tiger mauled you after you snuck into its cage and poked it with a stick a few times...

 

[Reehahs]

Well, just because something is controversial, doesn't mean that both sides are right.... While I don't think we should be censoring TRUE stories, if they're full of lies, then I see no problem with it...

I do love how people are jumping in to support the "Palestinians" when it was their side that started this round of hostilities by launching rockets into Israel... Kind of like getting mad that a tiger mauled you after you snuck into its cage and poked it with a stick a few times...

Here we go again.

What do you expect people to do when their voices are suppressed? Peaceful protests violently dispersed. They got tear gassed and bundled. Sheikh Jarrah court case thrown in favour of the colonisers. Hamas had warned again and again before the rocket attacks.

There will be no peace as long as there is apartheid. The two-state solution has not worked as the area is small and imbalance in power. This really should be one country called Israel and Palestine with equal rights for all.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Here we go again.

What do you expect people to do when their voices are suppressed? Peaceful protests violently dispersed. They got tear gassed and bundled. Sheikh Jarrah court case thrown in favour of the colonisers. Hamas had warned again and again before the rocket attacks.

There will be no peace as long as there is apartheid. The two-state solution has not worked as the area is small and imbalance in power. This really should be one country called Israel and Palestine with equal rights for all.

I expect them to blame their leaders - who live like kings while their people starve... instead, they educate their children to believe that all Jews should be exterminated and receive funding from the other Islamic states so that they can distract their own people from their oppressive regimes by saying "Israel is terrible".

Israel is certainly not blameless... but of all the nations in the Middle East and Africa, it's the only nation you'd actually want to live in... it's also the only real democracy - one of two if you actually believe Egypt has one...

 

[Reehahs]

I expect them to blame their leaders - who live like kings while their people starve... instead, they educate their children to believe that all Jews should be exterminated and receive funding from the other Islamic states so that they can distract their own people from their oppressive regimes by saying "Israel is terrible".

Israel is certainly not blameless... but of all the nations in the Middle East and Africa, it's the only nation you'd actually want to live in... it's also the only real democracy - one of two if you actually believe Egypt has one...

Definitely. Hopefully, the new Israeli government is less bloodthirsty and sorts out this mess.

These things go beyond just leaders. Having a right-wing government ensures that those not in power are going to have a bad time.

Bahrain, Jordan, and UAE are pretty good places.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Bahrain, Jordan, and UAE are pretty good places.

Are Jews allowed to live in any of those countries? Not as citizens they’re not.... yet Israel allows anyone to live in their country...

 

[Reehahs]

Are Jews allowed to live in any of those countries? Not as citizens they’re not.... yet Israel allows anyone to live in their country...

… except Palestinians.

What do you mean by Jew allowed to live in those countries? Each of these countries have had Jewish communities since biblical times. We are not talking about Saudi Arabia here. UAE and Jordan have full diplomatic relationships with Israel.

 

[Squid Surprise]

… except Palestinians.

What do you mean by Jew allowed to live in those countries? Each of these countries have had Jewish communities since biblical times. We are not talking about Saudi Arabia here. UAE and Jordan have full diplomatic relationships with Israel.

Do a little research as to what happened to all of the Jews living in Jordan after 1948.... also what the Jordanian government did to the Jewish synagogues... Palestinians - and any other peoples - are allowed to be citizens of Israel and have the same rights...

Not so much in the rest of the Arab world...

 

[Reehahs]

Do a little research as to what happened to all of the Jews living in Jordan after 1948.... also what the Jordanian government did to the Jewish synagogues... Palestinians - and any other peoples - are allowed to be citizens of Israel and have the same rights...

Not so much in the rest of the Arab world...

Do a little research to what happened in Palestine in 1917. Are we really going to dig-up the past? Countries change. Otherwise Germany would still be getting punished for the Nazis.

The rest of the Arab world went through a pretty violent spring. Things are changing for the better, give it some time. They are letting women drive in Saudi now.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Do a little research to what happened in Palestine in 1917. Are we really going to dig-up the past? Countries change. Otherwise Germany would still be getting punished for the Nazis.

The rest of the Arab world went through a pretty violent spring. Things are changing for the better, give it some time. They are letting women drive in Saudi now.

Yes... things are changing... slowly... but Israel has allowed anyone to be a citizen since its inception - in 1948! 1917 events are on the British - not Israel...

And the UAE only signed a peace agreement with Israel last year... while I hope things keep changing for the better, I’m not so confident of the track record of the Arab nations...

 

[Reehahs]

Yes... things are changing... slowly... but Israel has allowed anyone to be a citizen since its inception - in 1948! 1917 events are on the British - not Israel...

And the UAE only signed a peace agreement with Israel last year... while I hope things keep changing for the better, I’m not so confident of the track record of the Arab nations...

That incorrect regarding Israeli citizenship. The law of return only applies to those of Jewish faith whether by conversion or by birth. There are limited other circumstances (I.e. IDF service or adoption as a child) for non-Jews to become citizens. There have been deliberate changes in Israeli law to prevent family reunification of Palestinians and those from Palestinians territories to gain citizenship.

You talk about the track record of Arab nations as if they especially stand out. If it was a list then US would be at the top for coups and throwing allies under when they fulfilled their purpose.

 

[Squid Surprise]

That incorrect regarding Israeli citizenship. The law of return only applies to those of Jewish faith whether by conversion or by birth. There are limited other circumstances (I.e. IDF service or adoption as a child) for non-Jews to become citizens. There have been deliberate changes in Israeli law to prevent family reunification of Palestinians and those from Palestinians territories to gain citizenship.

You talk about the track record of Arab nations as if they especially stand out. If it was a list then US would be at the top for coups and throwing allies under when they fulfilled their purpose.

The US may have a bad track record in how it treats OTHER nations.... but it still tends to treat its own people decently - mainly because it’s leaders need their goodwill to win elections... one of the great things about a democracy...

As for the Arab world, they are mostly repressive dictatorships who treat their people abominably... this is one of the reasons they fund (and have funded for decades) various terrorist organizations to attack Israel - it distracts their people from realizing their true enemy are their own leaders.

Israel certainly gives Jews a much easier route to becoming citizens - as the rest of the Arab world does for Arabs... but they still allow anyone to become a citizen. A Jew, on the other hand, would probably need to be a billionaire in order to even have a chance at citizenship in any Arab nation.

And if we go back to 1948 for a second.... when the UN recognized Israel as a nation, the Arab world immediately attacked - and lost - leaving ”Palestinian“ people stranded in Israel. Israel actually asked Jordan, Egypt, Syria, etc to allow these people to be united with their families - the Palestinians were rejected by all of their “home” nations... on the other hand, all of the Jewish synagogues in the Arab nations were promptly levelled and most of the Jews were forced to flee.

 

[Reehahs]

The US may have a bad track record in how it treats OTHER nations.... but it still tends to treat its own people decently - mainly because it’s leaders need their goodwill to win elections... one of the great things about a democracy...

That's a good joke at the expense of the native Americans, anyone who isn't a rich Christian Protestant Anglo Saxon White, and the poor people. It is one rule for the rich and another rule for everyone else.

As for the Arab world, they are mostly repressive dictatorships who treat their people abominably... this is one of the reasons they fund (and have funded for decades) various terrorist organizations to attack Israel - it distracts their people from realizing their true enemy are their own leaders.

These dictators you are talking about did not come out of nowhere, they arose to power through Western support. Iran was a democratic country before being toppled by US installed Shah. Afghanistan had Taliban propped up by US and its allies to fight USSR. Taliban who then seeded Al Qaeda and eventually ISIS. Every time there is a leader that supports the locals and who rises against the use of US dollar or imperialism, gets swiftly taken out to be replaced by a corrupt puppet.

Israel certainly gives Jews a much easier route to becoming citizens - as the rest of the Arab world does for Arabs... but they still allow anyone to become a citizen. A Jew, on the other hand, would probably need to be a billionaire in order to even have a chance at citizenship in any Arab nation.

And if we go back to 1948 for a second.... when the UN recognized Israel as a nation, the Arab world immediately attacked - and lost - leaving ”Palestinian“ people stranded in Israel. Israel actually asked Jordan, Egypt, Syria, etc to allow these people to be united with their families - the Palestinians were rejected by all of their “home” nations... on the other hand, all of the Jewish synagogues in the Arab nations were promptly levelled and most of the Jews were forced to flee.

If foreigners meet conditions of gaining citizenship through nationalisation, they are given it. Israel refuses to accept the return of Palestinians refugees displaced during the wars and most Arab countries refuse to grant these refugees citizenship as it would affect their claim to return.

The treatment of Jewish communities in Arab countries were no different than pogroms following the wars and a dialogue at reconciliation should involve compensation.

Thank you for your replies, I learnt a lot. We should carry on this conversation in private chat.