Facebook is blocking Linux topics and channels with no apparent reason

Date:
Tue, 28 Jan 2025 13:01:00 +0000

Description:
Linux topics and discussions are being flagged as cybersecurity concerns and banned on Facebook.

FULL STORY

Some posts mentioning Linux-related topics, sites, or groups are being
blocked on Facebook for unknown reasons, reports have claimed.

The latest DistroWatch weekly news roundup noted, We've been hearing all week from readers who say they can no longer post about Linux on Facebook or share links to DistroWatch.

It detailed how posts and pages mentioning DistroWatch or talking about Linux have had their posts removed, or been shut down entirely.

Is Facebook sensoring Linux discussions?

Attempts to engage in topics surrounding the open-source operating system are being branded as violating Facebooks Community Standards, with the posts
being labeled as cybersecurity threats.

A screenshot shared to DistroWatch shows Facebooks January 20, 2025 decision
to remove a users September 22, 2024 post, which includes a link to the
popular website dedicated to keeping up to date with open-source OSs. A
January 21, 2025 update confirms Facebook did not restore the users post.

The author shared: I've tried to appeal the ban and was told the next day
that Linux-related material is staying on the cybersecurity filter. My
Facebook account was also locked for my efforts.

The irony, highlighted by DistroWatch, is that Facebook itself relies heavily on Linux for its infrastructure and frequently hires Linux developers.

More broadly, its not the first time that DistroWatch has run into problems with social media. When Twitter became X, accounts that had been re-posting news from its RSS feeds were no longer able to share links.

This sort of censorship is an unpleasant side-effect of centralized communication platforms, the author writes.

DistroWatch has now opened a Mastodon account in protest of its
dissatisfaction with centralized social media platforms.

TechRadar Pro has asked Meta to confirm its stance on the topic, but we did not receive an immediate response.

======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/facebook-is-blocking-linux-topics-and-channels-w ith-no-apparent-reason

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Facebook is blocking Linux topics and channels with no apparent reason

Facebook suspended my account a long time ago, and I recently signed back up with a new email address and so far they're letting me use it.

I just have to be careful not to talk about covid, vaccines, Trump, fair elections, or I guess Linux.

I wonder what the impact on Meta would be if word got around about a free and faster alternative to Windows?

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Windows/64)
* Origin: JoesBBS.Com, Telnet:23 SSH:22 HTTP:80 (1:342/201)

I wonder what the impact on Meta would be if word got around about a free and faster alternative to Windows?

I am not sure. IMHO, it could be because some recent hacking articles have pointed out that hackers have infiltrated "open source projects," but I
have not seen any that implicate specific linux distros. FWIW, I follow at least one linux-related group on FB and I am still seeing their posts.

A more conspiricy oriented theory would be that recently some linux
projects have taken a heavy stance both for and against "woke" and "DEI" policies. Maybe they are cancelling news about distros that fall on the
wrong side of the arguement.

Mike


* SLMR 2.1a * Got my tie caught in the fax... Suddenly I was in L.A.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
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I wonder what the impact on Meta would be if word got around about a fre faster alternative to Windows?

I am not sure. IMHO, it could be because some recent hacking articles have pointed out that hackers have infiltrated "open source projects,"
but I have not seen any that implicate specific linux distros. FWIW, I follow at least one linux-related group on FB and I am still seeing
their posts.

A more conspiricy oriented theory would be that recently some linux projects have taken a heavy stance both for and against "woke" and "DEI" policies. Maybe they are cancelling news about distros that fall on the wrong side of the arguement.

That sounds possible. The big names in tech (like Google, MS, and Meta) think that they have the authority to "set standards," and I'm sure that not all OS
developers agree with those "standards."

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Windows/64)
* Origin: JoesBBS.Com, Telnet:23 SSH:22 HTTP:80 (1:342/201)