Meta restores Malaysian PM’s posts after error

The company formerly known as Facebook apologised on Tuesday for removing content from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Facebook and Instagram accounts concerning the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. The posts, which expressed condolences over Haniyeh’s death, were removed, prompting Malaysia to seek an explanation from Meta.

A Meta spokesperson explained that the removal was an operational error and confirmed that the content had been restored with the correct newsworthy label. The apology followed a meeting on Monday between Malaysia‘s communications minister, members of the Prime Minister’s Office, and Meta representatives.

The Prime Minister’s Office condemned Meta’s actions as discriminatory, unjust, and a blatant suppression of free expression. The office issued a statement on Monday expressing their dissatisfaction with the removal of the posts and the need for an explanation from the tech company. Meta’s acknowledgement of the mistake and the restoration of the content aim to address the concerns raised by the Malaysian government.

This incident comes amid other challenges for Meta, including the exclusion of its AI models from the EU market due to regulatory concerns, and a significant fine imposed by Turkey for improper data sharing practices. These issues highlight the growing scrutiny Meta faces globally over content regulation, data privacy, and freedom of expression.