Facebook Flags Linux Topics As Cybersecurity Threats

Facebook Flags Linux Topics As Cybersecurity Threats
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By Mark Tyson
published 27 January 2025

DistroWatch is one of the largest affected organizations.

Facebook is banning posts that mention various Linux-related topics,
sites, or groups. Some users may also see their accounts locked or
limited when posting Linux topics. Major open-source operating system
news, reviews, and discussion site DistroWatch is at the center of
the controversy, as it seems to be the first to have noticed that
Facebook's Community Standards had blackballed it.

A post on the site claims, "Facebook's internal policy makers decided
that Linux is malware and labeled groups associated with Linux as
being 'cybersecurity threats.' We tried to post some blurb about
distrowatch.com on Facebook and can confirm that it was barred with a
message citing Community Standards.

DistroWatch says that the Facebook ban took effect on January 19.
Readers have reported difficulty posting links to the site on this
social media platform. Moreover, some have told DistroWatch that
their Facebook accounts have been locked or limited after sharing
posts mentioning Linux topics.

If you're wondering if there might be something specific to
DistroWatch.com, something on the site that the owners/operators
perhaps don't even know about, for example, then it seems pretty safe
to rule out such a possibility. Reports show that "multiple groups
associated with Linux and Linux discussions have either been shut
down or had many of their posts removed." However, we tested a few
other Facebook posts with mentions of Linux, and they didn't get
blocked immediately.

Copenhagen-hosted DistroWatch says it has tried to appeal against the
Community Standards-triggered ban. However, they say that a Facebook
representative said that Linux topics would remain on the
cybersecurity filter. The DistroWatch writer subsequently got their
Facebook account locked...

Facebook's overzealous ban on some Linux topics in the name of
Community Standards and its protection of its users from threats come
with a large ladle full of irony. "Facebook runs much of its
infrastructure on Linux," DistroWatch points out, "and often posts
job ads looking for Linux developers."

However, the Linux news site was gracious enough not to sneer at
Facebook's record of (not) protecting its users. For example, some
consider Facebook to have been instrumental in election interference
around the world, to have fuelled genocide in Myanmar, and, despite
its terrible past, has recently decided to dispose of its independent
fact-checkers.

There is some hope that banning Linux links and topics is a temporary
blip on the radar. Facebook will soon realize that it has mistaken
what is a flock of migratory birds for a squadron of assault drones.
DistroWatch notes that it also suffered from an RSS feed ban hammer
when Twitter changed its name to X-rated content implying X.

If you have noticed any other Linux-related domains, links, or
phrases that Facebook has banned, please tell us in the comments
section.

From: <https://www.tomshardware.com/software/linux/facebook-flags-
linux-topics-as-cybersecurity-threats-posts-and-users-being-blocked>