Al-Jazeera, the Qatari public broadcaster, reported earlier this week regarding Sada Social, a Palestinian collective of three journalists dedicated to documenting and responding to perceived “violations against Palestinian content.” These include the removal of content and de-platforming of online figures accused of what is considered as “hate speech” by social networks such as Facebook and YouTube.

However, Sada Social claims that these regulations are used as a form of censorship, with Facebook complicit with the Israeli government in removing the voice from critical Palestinian journalists and political figures.

Established in September of 2017, Sada Social includes Palestinian journalist Iyad Alrefaie, who claims to Al-Jazeera that “there is a very big gap between Palestinians and Israelis” regarding the enforcement of these regulations. Furthermore, Alrefaie denies claims made by these social networks that content removal is impartial, only conforming with what is acceptable under local law; rather, Sada Social and its supporters contend that organizations such as Facebook are capitulating to the influence of powerful governments, bowing to pressure and silencing critical voices.

According to other digital media activists such as Nadim Nashif, director of 7amleh, the Arab Centre for Social Media Advancement, other content of a similar nature posted by Israeli instigators is less stringently policed. The social media landscape is increasingly constricted not just by Israel; Palestinian activists are also hamstrung by a law passed by the Palestine Authority through executive decree, which even in a moderated form allows websites to be blocked under broad and dubious circumstances.

Challenges faced by Palestinian activists do not exist in a vacuum. Social media and its ability to unite communities have been vital to galvanizing critical voices throughout the Middle East. From uniting advocates for democracy in countries such as Tunisia and Egypt during the Arab Spring to providing an eyewitness account of atrocities committed within ISIS-controlled territories, social media has played a critical role. Just as social media has an emancipatory role to play, authoritarian governments have also sought to restrict and control it.

The challenges facing Palestinian activists are, sufficed to say, complex and difficult to manage. Social media – whose primary use is following the news for 96% of surveyed Palestinians according to a survey conducted by social media marketing firm Social Studio – is vitally important to elucidating the issues that divide and lead to conflict if left obscured. Sada Social take a novel approach to this goal, documenting the blocking of content or accounts on their Facebook page to draw attention to the suppression of Palestinian activists.

This excess attention has even succeeded in restoring access to accounts. Furthermore, a vibrant and healthy public sphere, led by civil society is vital to sustaining a robust democracy. In a volatile region such as the Middle East, where democracy is beginning to flower, it is also at risk of being snuffed out. Any move to bolster democracy through the enhancement of civil society, even if it involves confronting difficult truths and critical voices, must be applauded for the ultimate goal of achieving a lasting and sustainable peace.

The actions of Sada Social add nuance and allow for critical voices to contribute to the dizzyingly complex struggle for peace in Palestine and Israel. Any action that encourages peaceful deliberation should be applauded. The challenges that Sada Social could face include charges of partisanship, which could see them rejected by those who would oppose their work. If Sada Social could interface with international organizations such as Human Rights Watch or Reporters Without Borders, they could strengthen their claims of legitimacy, and bolster their importance in “recover[ing] some of the ground lost online.”