Meta blocks human rights accounts from reaching audiences in Arabia and the UAE

Meta has geo-blocked Facebook and Instagram accounts of human rights organizations, researchers, and activists from Saudi Arabia and the UAE since April 2026, citing compliance with local cybercrime laws requested by those governments. Human rights groups condemn the action as arbitrary censorship that violates freedom of expression, particularly as Saudi Arabia and the UAE use vague cybercrime legislation to suppress dissent and silence critics. Meta's compliance demonstrates its willingness to enforce government censorship demands despite its stated human rights commitments.