Did Instagram Block The Israeli Flag Emoji?
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Image by Wiki Commons
Want to show your Israeli pride when commenting on your bestie’s Instagram photos of their birthright trip?
Well, now you can’t.
According to the , Instagram has blocked the Israeli flag emoji. Users who try to comment with it receive an error message that says, “Comment Blocked,” and underneath, “Sorry, these types of comments aren’t allowed. We restrict certain content and actions to protect our community. Tell us if you think we made a mistake.”
Other users have reported not even having the option to use the Israeli flag at all. Our friends at Buzzfeed were also unable to comment with the flag. Other flags, like that of Syria, presented no such obstacles.
UPDATE: Instagram has released the following statement:
“We discovered an unintentional technical bug affecting emoji including the Israeli and Finish [sic] flags. We have identified and fixed the issue. People should be able to post the affected emoji immediately.”
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
