The Rural Women Advocates Facebook page was taken down after posting content mentioning the late Philippine communist leader José María Sisón. Fuente: Bulatlat, used with permission.
Several group pages and personal accounts of Filipino activists were banned by Facebook for alleged violation of community standards after posting photos, videos and statements paying tribute to the legacy of the late founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines, Jose Maria Sison. Apparently, Sison is included in the list of “dangerous people and organizations” from Facebook.
Sison, aged 83, died on December 16, 2022. He was imprisoned for nine years under martial law, until the dictatorship was overthrown in 1986. He was forced into exile in the Netherlands in 1987 after the annulment of his passport when he was out of the country on a world speaking tour. He was chief political adviser to the National Democratic Front of the Philippines until his death.
Despite being a political refugee in Europe, successive Philippine governments branded him a terrorist and accused him of leading the operations of the New People’s Army, which has been waging an armed struggle for national liberation since 1969. Sison denied this and challenged his inclusion. on the terrorist list.
To many activists, Sison was considered a leading activist, poet, and revolutionary whose writings have guided the rise and growth of the left-wing movement in the Philippines.
Sison is recognized in the Philippines as a historical figure and a political icon. Naturally, his death drew immediate reactions from supporters, adversaries and observers of Philippine politics.
But Facebook’s algorithm appears to be tuned to automatically flag posts that mention Sison and contain images of him.
Screenshot of Carol Araullo’s post that was removed by Facebook. Fair use.
Dr. Carol Araullo, President of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance), questioned the removal of his publication and announced a tribute ceremony in honor of Sison:
So I finally got «restricted» by FB for posting the pubmat announcing the Memorial for Prof. Sison last Dec. 20. Of course I am contesting the FB decision.
This is a public event in a state university, on an important historical figure whose life and actions are part of academic discussion in and out of the university. What «community standards» then have I violated?
So I was finally “restricted” by FB for posting the commemoration announcement for Professor Sison on December 20th. Of course, I contest FB’s decision.
It is a public event at a public university, about an important historical figure whose life and actions are part of the academic debate inside and outside the university. What “community rules” have I violated then?
Until the publication of the technology journalist Noemi Lardizabal-Dado was eliminated after he posted his interview with Sison:
Apparently posting about Joma Sison caused multiple restrictions to my Facebook account. A first for me. Even in death, Joma Sison is a threat. Facebook does not allow symbols , praise or support of dangerous individuals or organizations.
Apparently posting about Joma Sison caused multiple restrictions on my Facebook account. A first for me. Even dead, Joma Sison is a threat. Facebook doesn’t allow symbols, praise, or endorsement of dangerous people or organizations.
He appealed the decision and Facebook reinstated his post.
Screenshot of Raymund Villanueva’s deleted post restored by Facebook. Fair use.
Another resource that was successful was that of the journalist Raymund Villanueva, who challenged Facebook’s decision to remove a post containing a message from the Norwegian government expressing condolences to Sison’s family.
Not all appeals have been successful, as several activists continued to denounce the restrictions imposed on their accounts.
The journalist Inday Espina-Varona critical the removal of Facebook posts mentioning Sison:
Facebook is the social media giant that has allowed hate to fester, and messages of introlerance [sic] and violence to spread, if these lead to profits.
For it to take down posts on Sison is a shameful and sorry attempt to deny the historical fact of a man and a life that, for better or worse, depending on where one is coming from, affected a nation.
Facebook is the social media giant that has allowed hate to be exacerbated and messages of intolerance [sic] and violence spread, if that benefits.
Removing the posts about Sison is a shameful and regrettable attempt to deny the historical fact of a man and a life that, for better or worse, depending on where he came from, affected a nation.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan described Facebook’s actions as an example of “automated censorship«. He added that the removal of the posts “reveals how Facebook’s so-called community standards are arbitrarily invoked to silence activists and revolutionaries.”
To circumvent Facebook’s invisible censors, the activists decided to post images of lamps and lanterns with the hashtag #SaludoJMS (Greetings, Jose Maria Sison) to symbolize his message that Sison’s legacy will continue to be a light and guide to the popular movement.
#GreetingsJMS. Mananatiling is the life of the tanglaw. (Greetings to José María Sisón. Your legacy will continue to shine). Photo from Judy Taguiwalo’s Facebook post, used with permission.
