Rhetorical Threats Against Authorities
UPDATED JAN 29, 2026
Summary Decision 2026-012-FB-UA, 2026-013-FB-UA, 2026-014-FB-UA, 2026-015-IG-UA
We welcome the Oversight Board’s decisions today, January 29, 2026, on these cases regarding Facebook and Instagram posts containing rhetorical threats against authorities between July and August 2025.
The first case involves a user comment in Amharic under a Facebook post expressing hope for peace and collaboration between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and stating “This Nazi Isaias [understood to be a reference to Eritrean Prime Minster] “should be eliminated.”
The second case concerns a Facebook post in Urdu criticising public sector recruitment in a province of Pakistan. The content includes a photo of a person walking barefoot in the desert alongside a donkey highlighting that poverty in the province is “increasing day by day.” The user also stated “May Allah damn these corrupt and conscienceless officers who sell away our rights for money.” This statement had been originally translated into English by Meta as “May Allah drown those bastards, shameless and unscrupulous officers who sell our rights on us for money.”
The third user posted a photo of two women wearing face masks with a caption in Ukrainian criticizing Ukrainian politicians for what they described as “catastrophic” consequences in their response to the Russia offensive. The post states “you will be judged and beaten harshly – not by your words but by your actions.”
The final case concerns a comment from an Instagram user in Italian on a carousel of photos where performers played soccer using a replica of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco’s head as the ball. The comment states this should be repeated “with the head of the big bald that someone is still revering today,” the words “big bald” alluding to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. The comment also adds that they will send those people to the site where Mussolini’s corpse was displayed in April 1945.
Upon initial review, Meta removed all four pieces of content for violating our policy on Violence and Incitement, as laid out in the Community Standards. However, upon additional review, we determined we removed these pieces of content in error and reinstated the posts.
There will be no further updates to this case.