Instagram, Twitter blame glitches for deleting Palestinian posts

5 Min Read.BEIRUT, May 10 - Instagram and Twitter have blamed technical errors for deleting posts mentioning the possible eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem, but data rights groups fear "Discriminatory" algorithms are at work and want greater transparency. Instagram and Twitter said the accounts were "Suspended in error by our automated systems" and the issue had been resolved and content reinstated. Instagram said in a statement that an automated update last week caused content re-shared by multiple users to appear as missing, affecting posts on Sheikh Jarrah, Colombia, and U.S. and Canadian indigenous communities. In a joint statement, 7amleh, Access Now, and other digital rights groups called on Twitter and Instagram to use "Transparent and coherent moderation policies"and be more open when take-downs happen. Marwa Fatafta, Middle East and North Africa policy advisor for Access Now, said Twitter and Instagram users saw continued restrictions on content over the weekend. One of those affected was Hind Khoudary, a 25-year-old Palestinian journalist based in Turkey, who noticed last Thursday that some posts about Sheikh Jarrah from her Instagram archives were not loading. Some affected users received messages about "Violating community standards" from Instagram.