. @Twitter @Facebook @YouTube are taking down content they say is terrorist, graphic violence, or inciting violence, often due to significant government pressure. But some of this content also constitutes vital evidence of war crimes. https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/09/10/social-media-platforms-remove-war-crimes-evidence

Social media companies comply with national law enforcement requests for copies of removed content for investigative purposes, but they have no mechanism to give any access to that content once down to human rights orgs, investigative journos, defense lawyers, victims' families

Due to the social media companies' increased use of algorithms, much of the content is now taken down automatically before anyone sees it – and before investigators even know the potential evidence of serious crimes exists.

In line w/ many brilliant experts @DiaKayyali @Witnessorg @syrian_archive @pressfreedom @daphnehk @KAlexaKoenig @ellanso @vazquezllorente @courtneyr @jilliancyork, @hrw calling for global consultation to discuss creation of new mechanism to preserve removed content 4 researchers