Users denounce Facebook banned hashtag "#XX" due to scandal over participation of "XY" individuals in women's Olympic boxing

Several users reported on the X social network (formerly Twitter) that Facebook banned them from using, searching and viewing posts that have the hashtag #XX among the controversy sparked by the competition of two XY (male chromosomes) individuals in women's Olympic boxing at the Paris 2024 games.

After searching for the hashtag on the platform, users see messages saying, “Keeping our community safe: Posts with #XX are temporarily hidden here. Some content in those posts goes against our community standards.” 

A "learn more" link directs users to "Facebook community" standards and policies.

Blocked hashtags and deleted accounts

English writer Richard Dawkins commented that his Facebook account had been deleted "without giving any reason" and called the action - in the form of a question - "absolute censorship."

My @Facebook account has been completely deleted, apparently (without giving any reason) because I tweeted that genetically male boxers like Imane Khalif (undisputed XY) shouldn't fight women in the Olympics. Of course, my opinion is open to civilized debate, but absolute censorship?"

"Making people believe that men are women is only possible with a lot of censorship," women's rights advocate Sall Grover posted.

People who could be overlooked or marginalized

According to its community policies, Facebook "takes great care to create standards that are inclusive of different viewpoints and beliefs, especially for people and communities that might otherwise be overlooked or marginalized." In relation to "safety," the company assures that it will "remove content that could contribute to a risk of harm to people's physical safety. Content that threatens people has the potential to intimidate, exclude, or silence others and is not allowed on Facebook."