Facebook faced criticism for allegedly censoring content related to the Kisan Ekta Morcha farmers' protest in India, raising concerns about freedom of expression.

Facebook was seen to have temporarily censored the Kisan Ekta Morcha page due to an automated system error that flagged the page as "spam." 

Kisan Ekta Morcha advocates for farmers' rights and reforms in agricultural laws.

The incident occurred after a significant increase in activity on the page, including a live broadcast by protest leader Yogendra Yadav announcing an indefinite hunger strike. 

The page was blocked for approximately three hours before being restored following public outcry. 

Facebook also reportedly deleted numerous posts and accounts linked to the Kisan Ekta Morcha, claiming they violated community standards.

Critics alleged that that the Indian government pressured Facebook and other social media platforms to restrict content that was critical of its policies or supportive of protests. 

The "censorship" sparked debates about the implications for digital activism in India, as many activists rely on social media to organise and mobilise support for their causes. 

The situation highlighted the tension between governmental control and the right to free speech online.

Timeline ⏰

• September 2020. Indian Parliament passes controversial farm laws; protests begin.

• December 15, 2020. Kisan Ekta Morcha Facebook page becomes a central hub for protest information and fact-checking.

• December 20, 2020. Facebook unpublishes the KEM page during a live stream by Yogendra Yadav. KEM announces the takedown on Twitter, sparking massive #CensoredByFacebook social media outcry. Facebook restores the page following intense public backlash.

• December 21, 2020. Facebook issues a formal apology, citing "automated systems" and "spam" flags as the cause.

Research, advocacy 🧮

• Freedom House. Freedom on the Net 2022 - India

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• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/farmers-protest-facebook-clarifies-kisan-ekta-morcha-page-was-marked-spam-for-increased-activity/articleshow/79839388.cms

• https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/farmers-protest-facebooks-defence-as-kisan-ekta-morchas-protest-page-was-briefly-taken-down-2341522

• https://www.thequint.com/news/india/facebook-blocked-kisan-ekta-morcha-page-says-farmers-group

• https://thewire.in/agriculture/facebook-blocks-kisan-ekta-morcha-account-restores-it-later-after-user-outrage

• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/facebook-bans-kisan-ekta-morcha-page-restores-after-outrage/articleshow/79828402.cms

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• https://in.news.yahoo.com/facebook-instagram-accounts-protesting-farmers-154326393.html

• https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/social-media-accounts-of-farmers-forum-blocked-restored-after-uproar-187134