Instagram censorship puzzle: Alt News post survives only after ‘Burhan Wani’ is removed

According to a report by the fact-checking outlet Alt News, the organization faced repeated content restrictions on Instagram regarding a post about the upcoming Bollywood film 'Chauhaan'. The outlet claims that their post was removed from the platform twice in July, citing violations of community guidelines. Alt News states that the post only remained live after they removed two specific references to Burhan Wani, a militant commander whose mention often triggers automated moderation filters on various social media platforms.

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by publishers and content creators in navigating the opaque moderation policies of major social media companies. Alt News suggests that the episode provides a glimpse into how content restrictions are enforced, often relying on automated systems that may lack the nuance to distinguish between journalistic reporting and prohibited content. The removal of the post, and its subsequent reinstatement following the removal of specific keywords, points to a potential reliance on keyword-based filtering rather than a comprehensive review of the context in which the terms are used.

Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has faced long-standing criticism regarding the transparency of its content moderation practices. While the company maintains that its policies are designed to prevent the promotion of violence and illegal activity, critics argue that these automated systems frequently result in the over-censorship of legitimate news and political discourse. As of now, there has been no official comment from Meta regarding the specific takedowns experienced by Alt News, leaving the exact mechanism behind the content removal unclear.