Digital Rights Weekly Update: 14 - 20 November

Framing Gaza: A Comparative Analysis of Media Bias in 8 Western Media Outlets

Media Bias Meter

This study by Media Bias Meter, a Tech for Palestine project, analyzes the text of 54,449 articles published between October 7, 2023, and August 2025, a period of 100 weeks, across eight major Western news outlets from North America and Europe. Despite their geographic, linguistic, and ideological diversity, the news coverage revealed a strikingly consistent pattern: a systemic distortion of the Gaza genocide narrative that favors Israeli framing while marginalizing Palestinian perspectives. Headline Disparities: Across the sample, headlines overwhelmingly focused on Israeli perspectives. The New York Times, for instance, featured “Israel” in headlines 186 times for every one mention of “Palestine.” When Palestine was mentioned, it was often in indirect terms, such as pro-Palestine protesters, rather than stories centered on Palestinian voices or sovereignty.

Disinformation, Manipulation, & Hate Speech in Conflicts

Peace In Progress Magazine

In today’s digital age, conflicts and wars have increasingly spilled over into the online sphere, amplifying the spread of disinformation and hate speech. Social media platforms have become mirrors—and magnifiers—of real-world tensions, serving both as battlegrounds and breeding grounds for digital hostility. While individual users may spontaneously promote content aligned with their political or ideological beliefs, states and non-state actors often engage in coordinated campaigns to deliberately spread false or misleading information with the intention of deceiving, manipulating, or harming. This intentional manipulation of information is referred to as disinformation—the strategic dissemination of falsehoods intended to mislead populations, damage reputations, and sow division. 

Malaysia pledges support for Palestine’s digital recovery, explores telecom cooperation with South Africa

The Malaysian Reserve

MALAYSIA has pledged to support Palestine’s reconstruction efforts, particularly in rebuilding digital infrastructure, while also exploring telecommunications cooperation with South Africa, Bernama reported. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil held discussions with Palestine’s Telecommunications and Digital Economy Deputy Minister Huda Al-Wahidi and South Africa Communications and Digital Technologies Deputy Minister Mondli Gungubele on the sidelines of the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2025 (WTDC-25) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “I will bring several findings back to the cabinet, discuss them with the Prime Minister and also with Wisma Putra to ensure that the support we provide is not only of a technical nature,” he said.

Grok Suspends Hebrew Translations on X: Curbing Incitement or Concealing Actions?

Misbar

A wave of outrage erupted on X after the platform (formerly Twitter) suspended automatic translation for Hebrew posts, alleging that a recent surge in mistranslated expressions—especially idioms and military terminology—was causing content to appear more inflammatory to non–Hebrew-speaking users. The change, which prevents non–Hebrew speakers from easily accessing translated versions of such content, appears to have taken effect in mid-November 2025. The AI explained that the change aims to reduce global amplification of policy-violating material (e.g., calls for violence) caused by bad auto-translations. It stated that Hebrew is the only language for which X has disabled translations platform-wide.

We are not ready for the dawn of digital inequality

Raseef 22

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming every aspect of our lives at a speed unlike anything we’ve seen before. This technology, which has been imported to our region without any understanding of our culture, relies on systems that work to repress us. While it promises enormous innovation and opportunity, it also brings unprecedented threats to our freedoms, rights, and the very fabric of our societies. Gaza has shown us that AI can be weaponized to annihilate entire populations. For development, humanitarian, and human rights organizations, AI holds a future we should fear—but only if we are unprepared.