Meta has prohibited content that uses the term "Zionist" as a coded reference to Jewish people to spread antisemitic conspiracy theories, a company representative said on Monday.
Benjamin Good, Meta's global director of core policy, testified before a royal commission into antisemitism that the policy change came after extensive research.
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"The dictionary definition [of Zionists] is these are adherents of a political movement, so that wouldn't traditionally be a protected characteristic," Good said.
However, he added that Meta found many users were employing the word "Zionist" to evade hate speech enforcement.
Instead of saying "Jewish people do," they would say "Zionists do."
Based on consultations with counter-terrorism experts and cultural groups, Meta determined that the intent was antisemitic.
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As a result, the company now prohibits claims such as "Zionists control the media."
Good also faced questions about Meta's 2025 moderation changes, which adopted a lighter approach to content removal and fact-checking.
He defended the adjustments, warning that over-enforcement could silence people speaking out against hate.
"Too much content that did not violate their community standards was being removed," Good said.
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The policy now applies across Meta's platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
