Meta Bans Independent Media ‘The Cradle’ in Latest Crackdown on Freedom of Speech
On 16 August, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, permanently banned independent news outlet ‘The Cradle’ from its platforms, citing violations of community guidelines related to “praising terrorist organizations” and “incitement to violence.” The ban erased The Cradle’s Instagram account, which had amassed over 107,000 followers, along with its backup account and Facebook page, providing no option for appeal.
Meta’s actions primarily stemmed from posts relaying quotes and information from political groups in West Asia, such as Ha-mas, He-zbo-llah, and Ans-arallah, which are blacklisted by many Western governments. The Cradle, known for its nuanced coverage of West Asian geopolitics, reported on these groups due to their significant role in regional governance, making them central to ongoing conflicts.
The crackdown followed the July 31 assassination of Ha-mas Politburo Chief Ism-ail Hani-yeh, which triggered Meta to remove 10 posts from The Cradle within 48 hours. Content included statements from Ha-mas and He-zbo-llah condemning violence, videos of clashes in Gaza, and headlines discussing potential escalations.
Meta’s move has sparked accusations of bias and suppression, particularly as other outlets, such as Al Jazeera and Middle East Eye, continue to share similar content without facing such extreme censorship. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have criticized Meta for its ongoing suppression of Palestinian content, accusing the company of silencing pro-Palestinian voices globally.
As The Cradle faces the escalating clampdown, it encourages its audience to stay informed through alternative platforms like Telegram, TikTok, and Rumble, and urges readers to support their work via donations.
If you value our journalism…
TMJ News is committed to remaining an independent, reader-funded news platform. A small donation from our valuable readers like you keeps us running so that we can keep our reporting open to all! We’ve launched a fundraising campaign to raise the $10,000 we need to meet our publishing costs this year, and it’d mean the world to us if you’d make a monthly or one-time donation to help. If you value what we publish and agree that our world needs alternative voices like ours in the media, please give what you can today.
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