Portugal's far-right political party, Chega, has recently announced its intention to pursue legal action against Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, over the decision to impose a 10-year ban on the party's official Facebook account, Reuters reports.
Portugal's Far-right Chega Pushes Legal Actions Against Meta
Chega, which surged in popularity during last month's snap election, quadrupling its parliamentary representation to 50 lawmakers, finds itself at odds with Meta over allegations of breaching community standards on the social media platform.
According to a spokesperson for the party, Patricia Carvalho, Meta notified Chega that its account had been restricted for 3,649 days due to violations of community standards, without providing an opportunity for appeal within the platform.
"This is undoubtedly political censorship. There is no other justification," remarked André Ventura, the leader of Chega, denouncing Meta's decision as "absolutely incomprehensible" and an "unprecedented persecution of a political party in Portugal."
Chega asserts that Meta's actions infringe upon its freedom of expression and impede its political activities.
Leader of far-right wing party Chega, Andre Ventura gestures for his supporters during a street campaign rally ahead of Portugal's general elections, in Lisbon, on January 28, 2022. - Campaigning wrapped up for a tightly-fought weekend general election in Portugal, with polls pointing to a hung parliament and huge gains by the far-right.
Why Meta Banned Chega on Facebook
Meta's decision appears to stem from Chega's contentious online content, particularly regarding issues of immigration and the Roma community. The party's anti-immigration and anti-Roma rhetoric has previously sparked accusations of discriminatory speech.
A recent video posted on Chega's Facebook page, addressing impunity within the gypsy community, has been cited as a potential trigger for the account restriction. André Ventura claims in the video that there is "brutal impunity" with "the gypsy community in Portugal" and that "there is only one party capable of telling the truth".
"Your account has been restricted for 3649 days. Your account activity has disrespected our community standards. Therefore, you cannot perform one or more of the usual actions," Meta's message to CHEGA's official Facebook account reads.
According to a local news outlet, the video in question was still viewable hours after Chega's Facebook page was banned. Chega challenged the consistency of Meta's enforcement, noting that despite the ban, the party's Facebook page remains active, with the latest post dated just 19 hours ago.
Additionally, Chega leader André Ventura's personal Facebook account has reportedly faced restrictions since December, further complicating the situation.
What's Next?
In response to Meta's actions, Chega is preparing to escalate the matter both within the Portuguese Parliament and the judicial system. The party contends that Meta's decision is not only unjust but also illegal, as it hampers the legitimate political engagement of a significant portion of the Portuguese electorate.
Meta's stance on content moderation has faced scrutiny globally, with recent actions in Turkey and Canada raising concerns over its market dominance and influence on political discourse.
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