Tech giants act to halt online hate for one day only, as they move to block webinar featuring convicted terrorist

Numerous technology companies recently blocked a webinar featuring a convicted terrorist, plane hijacker and member of the violent Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

Following protests, Zoom refused to host a webinar featuring Leila Khaled held at San Francisco State University (SFSU) on 23rd September. As a member of the PFLP, Ms Khaled took part in two terrorist hijackings in 1969 and 1970. Opponents of the event noted that the U.S. Government has designated the PFLP as a terrorist organisation and claimed that by hosting Ms Khaled on its service, Zoom was exposing itself to criminal liability for providing “material support or resources” to a terrorist group.

In a statement confirming that it had cancelled the webinar, a Zoom spokesperson said that Ms Khaled’s participation in the webinar potentially breached its terms of service. In light of her membership of “a U.S. designated foreign terrorist organisation…we determined the meeting is in violation of Zoom’s Terms of Service and told SFSU they may not use Zoom for this particular event.”

After Zoom’s ruling, the event organisers turned to Facebook, which also blocked the webinar. YouTube, which is owed by Google, then terminated the live-streamed talk after 22 minutes when Ms Khaled referred to the “right of occupied peoples to fight their occupiers by any means possible, including weapons.” A message appeared stating: “This video is unavailable.” An attempt to stream the event on another YouTube channel was also blocked by the company.

That three of the most significant technology companies in the United States have finally moved to block antisemitic hatred online is a significant and welcome development, and shows the effect that enforcement of American regulations restricting the activities of antisemitic terrorist groups can have.

It is regrettable that SFSU was unrepentant, with the University’s President, Lynn Mahoney, saying in an open letter that the University disagreed with Zoom’s decision but recognised its right as a private company to enforce its policies. She had previously stated that she supported the right of her staff to invite controversial speakers, insisting that “an invitation to a public figure to speak to a class should not be construed as an endorsement of point of view.”

It is notable that the controversial far-left group, IfNotNow, also appeared to regret that the webinar was blocked.

Khaled was scheduled to speak as part of a roundtable discussion entitled “Whose Narratives? Gender, Justice and Resistance.”

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