US-based social media company Facebook has reportedly closed the Arabic-language page of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. RNA - According to Iranian media reports on Friday, the page was closed after being recently put under restrictions by Facebook on the alleged pretext of violating the site’s terms of service.
The page, which published speeches and other news related to the Leader, had more than 100,000 followers.
Social media pages belonging to the Leader have on numerous occasions been targeted with restrictions and page bans across different platforms, including Twitter and Instagram.
Following the recent closure of the Leader’s Arabic Facebook page, an alternative Arabic-language page affiliated to the Leader was reported to have replaced the previous page.
The recent closure comes as many observers and activists have criticized Facebook for what they regard as the social media giant’s political bias in dealing with online activity.
Last year, Facebook targeted hundreds of accounts allegedly tied to Iran and Russia under the pretext of fighting what it calls “misinformation” campaigns. Among the accounts was one belonging to the Quest for Truth (Q4T) Iranian media organization, which promotes Islamic values\\
According to Press TV, the social media giant is also known for blocking pages critical of the Israeli regime.
Twitter and YouTube have also conducted specific bans targeting accounts allegedly linked to countries that are critical of the policies of Western governments, such as accounts in Iran, Russia, and Venezuela.
Last year, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif slammed Twitter for banning “real Iranians” from the social media platform while ignoring anti-Iranian content multiplied by bots operated by known US-backed terrorists.