DMC reveals the reason of banning the phrase “Popular Mobilization” from Facebook

politics/Security
  • 29-10-2021, 23:03
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    Baghdad - INA 


    The Digital Media Center DMC announced  that the “Popular Mobilization Forces” are not included in the terrorist or dangerous organizations that are prohibited from circulating on Facebook. 

    The center said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "artificial intelligence systems still sometimes carry out unjustified bans on the phrase, indicating that the center is working to put an end to this confusion in coordination with the official authorities in the company." 

    He explained that he formally addressed the Facebook company regarding the complaints of a large number of users of the platform in Iraq, whose accounts have been suspended or their activities restricted by the company due to the mention of the phrase “the Popular Mobilization”, in order to find out the truth behind this confusion. 

    According to an official email from a senior official in Facebook, received by the Digital Media Center, the "Popular Mobilization" as an organization is not included in the list of organizations and individuals prohibited to be mentioned in user posts. 

    Facebook confirmed to the DMC Digital Media Center  that it has specific definitions and parameters that it uses to evaluate organizations that may require labeling in a certain capacity, and that this process includes a review of the strength of each case by an expanded team with experience in this field, including a review of policies and the legal and security aspect. 

    The company added that its determinants and definitions take into account the diagnosis according to the region or ideology followed by each organization, and each party is likely to be subject to evaluation and diagnosis through this process, taking into account the issue of political violence, organized hatred, or criminal acts across the world. 

    For his part, a member of the  DMC team, Maamel Shukir, confirms that despite the absence of the PMF’s name on the list and Facebook’s assertion to the center that it is not considered a terrorist organization, the company’s artificial intelligence still works sometimes in a way that is different from the company’s official statements.