A former high-ranking Israeli government official who currently serves as the head of Israel policy at Meta has allegedly advocated for the censorship of Instagram accounts belonging to Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). This group is actively organizing protests on college campuses against Israel’s military actions in Gaza, as reported in a detailed article by The Intercept.
Internal discussions reviewed by The Intercept indicate that Jordana Cutler, who leads Meta’s Israel & Jewish Diaspora policy, flagged several SJP posts for review, as well as other content critiquing Israel’s foreign policy. She referenced Meta’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy, which restricts discussions about a confidential list of thousands of blacklisted entities. While this policy prohibits "glorification" of these groups, it is intended to permit "social and political discourse" and "commentary."
It is still uncertain whether Cutler’s actions led to any content removals, as Meta has not provided clarity on the status of the flagged posts. Notably, Cutler lacks the authority to delete flagged content; such decisions are made by a separate moderation team. Experts have raised alarm over the involvement of a senior official tasked with representing government interests in content moderation decisions that could affect user expression.
Marwa Fatafta, a policy advisor from the digital rights organization Access Now, expressed concern, stating, "It’s blatantly biased. It doesn’t take much insight to understand what’s happening here."
While Meta declined to answer specific inquiries regarding Cutler’s actions, a spokesperson stated that discussing her was "dangerous and irresponsible." Dani Lever explained, "The identity of the person flagging content is irrelevant; our policies determine what is permissible on the platform." She noted that it is routine for Meta’s public policy team to escalate content they believe violates platform guidelines and emphasized that a distinct team of experts decides on content moderation.
Cutler did not respond to requests for comments, and Meta declined to arrange an interview with her.
Lever criticized The Intercept, alleging that its report "deliberately misrepresents how our processes function," though she did not provide further details.
Government Connections
Cutler joined Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, in 2016 after an extensive career in the Israeli government, including roles at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., and as an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. When Cutler’s employment at Meta was announced, Gilad Erdan, Israel’s then-Minister of Public Security, praised the move as a step forward in communication between the State of Israel and Facebook.
Cutler has openly discussed her role as a bridge between Meta and the Israeli government, advocating for Israeli interests within the company. In a 2017 interview with Calcalist, she mentioned that Facebook collaborated with the Justice Ministry and Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, concerning content removal. "We are not the experts; they are the authorities," she remarked.
A 2020 profile in The Jerusalem Post characterized Cutler as “our woman at Facebook,” emphasizing her role in representing Israeli concerns on the platform. She explained that her responsibility is to advocate for both Facebook to Israel and vice versa, adding, "Of course they listen to me."
While Meta engages in extensive government relations and lobbying worldwide, few countries have their own high-ranking representative like Cutler. Although she specifically represents Israeli interests, there is no equivalent representing Palestinian perspectives within Meta. Experts have raised alarms about this disparity, particularly concerning discussions surrounding Israel’s ongoing conflict with Gaza, which has resulted in numerous casualties among Gazans.
Jillian York, Director for International Freedom of Expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, stated, "If Meta wants to act ethically, it needs to ensure Palestinians have a voice at the table."
Flagged Content
Documents reviewed by The Intercept reveal that Cutler sought the removal of an SJP post that included a reading list with authors linked to two Marxist-Leninist groups: the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) — which was removed from the U.S. State Department’s list of terrorist organizations in 1999 — and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which remains designated as such by both Meta and the U.S. government.
A source familiar with Cutler’s actions indicated that she also pushed for the removal of posts quoting Palestinian novelist Ghassan Kanafani, a spokesperson for the PFLP before his assassination by Israel in 1972. Kanafani’s work, particularly his novella Returning to Haifa, has gained international recognition.
Additionally, Cutler reportedly advocated for censoring a post that referred to Leila Khaled — a former PFLP member known for her involvement in a 1969 hijacking — as "empowering." Now 80, Khaled remains a significant figure in international Palestinian solidarity efforts.
Records indicate that Cutler frequently targeted SJP’s Instagram posts at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), alleging ties to violent protests. She flagged a news report covering a confrontation during a peaceful Gaza solidarity event at the university in April 2023, where pro-Israel demonstrators reportedly clashed with protestors, resulting in injuries to 15 individuals.
Mona, a member of SJP at UCLA, noted that their Instagram account has faced periodic restrictions in posting or sharing content, which the organization attributes to Meta’s enforcement actions. Similarly, SJP’s chapter at Columbia University reported having its account deactivated in August without explanation and claimed that several posts quoting Kanafani were removed.
The Israeli government has openly criticized groups like SJP and Jewish Voice for Peace, accusing them of fostering terrorism on American college campuses.
Broader Initiatives
Records suggest that Cutler’s efforts to censor content extend beyond student posts. Following Iran’s missile attack on Israel in October, she flagged a video showing Palestinians celebrating in Gaza. Furthermore, it appears she also flagged content from the Lebanese TV network Al Mayadeen in the aftermath of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s assassination.
Ashraf Zeitoon, a former policy chief for Meta in the Middle East and North Africa, described Cutler’s behavior as typical, stating, "It’s obvious she’s overstepping her boundaries." He emphasized that no one else in the organization would be permitted to claim they represent their government’s interests as Cutler does.
In 2017, BuzzFeed News reported that Facebook staff had raised concerns about Cutler’s role, particularly her efforts to classify the West Bank as a "disputed" territory instead of "occupied."
Zeitoon expressed skepticism that escalations flagged by Cutler receive equal treatment compared to others, asserting, "When I flagged content, my reports went directly to the highest levels," and he expected Cutler’s submissions would receive similar scrutiny, especially amid the ongoing conflict.
Comparisons have been drawn to Ankhi Das, former policy head in India for Meta, who resigned in 2020 due to allegations of favoritism toward India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party. Emerson Brooking, a fellow at the Atlantic Council, highlighted, "Meta serves as a communication platform for much of the world, but not all voices are given equal weight."
Zeitoon further commented, "No other governments have established a network of influence with Meta like Israel and India."
Cutler is not alone in fostering connections between Meta and governmental entities. Joel Kaplan, Meta’s operations head in Washington, and Nick Clegg, the company’s president for global affairs, both come from government backgrounds. Many of those involved in Meta’s policy-making hail from agencies like the Pentagon and the State Department.
As recently as 2023, Cutler’s name was mentioned as a possible candidate to head Israel’s Strategic Affairs Ministry, which has initiated campaigns to utilize Meta platforms for monitoring and undermining activists abroad. In June, Haaretz reported that the ministry had targeted U.S. lawmakers with fake Facebook and Instagram accounts promoting pro-Israel narratives, which Meta subsequently removed.
Evelyn Douek, a content moderation expert at Stanford Law School, noted that Cutler’s interventions raise "deeply troubling" questions regarding Meta’s content moderation processes.