The lawsuit filed by Palestinian-American engineer Ferras Hamad against Meta, formerly known as Facebook, accuses the social media giant of discriminating against pro-Palestinian speech and wrongfully firing him after he raised concerns about the company’s handling of a prominent Palestinian war photographer’s Instagram account. Hamad, who was assigned to review Instagram content filters related to the conflict in Gaza and Ukraine, claims that he was dismissed because of his Palestinian background. The lawsuit sheds light on how tensions over the Gaza conflict are not only evident on social media but also within the companies that operate these platforms.
In response to Hamad’s claims, a Meta spokesperson stated that the engineer was fired for violating the company’s data access policies, which would result in immediate termination. According to the lawsuit, the photographer’s Instagram account, with over 17 million followers, was incorrectly labeled as pornographic. When Hamad brought this issue to the attention of his colleagues, he allegedly faced pressure from other Meta employees to drop the investigation. Despite following the proper protocols for addressing the issue, Hamad was terminated from his position following an employment investigation.
The lawsuit alleges that Hamad’s firing was a result of company bias against pro-Palestinian speech, citing instances where Meta allegedly deleted employees’ posts mentioning deaths of relatives in Gaza and mentions of Palestinian refugees. Additionally, the lawsuit references a report by Human Rights Watch, which documented claims that Meta unreasonably suppressed peaceful pro-Palestinian speech. Hamad claims that he was targeted and terminated because of his Palestinian background while investigating a significant issue related to a Palestinian photojournalist during the conflict in Gaza.
Hamad is seeking damages for illegal discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination as part of the lawsuit. He is requesting a jury trial to determine the compensation he deserves for lost income, benefits, career opportunities, and the stress he endured as a result of his termination. The lawsuit raises important questions about the handling of pro-Palestinian speech on social media platforms and sheds light on the challenges faced by employees who speak out against perceived injustices within their companies. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for how tech companies address employee concerns regarding censorship and discrimination on their platforms.
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