Listen to Facebook Feed with Brandon Ellis
Facebook has banned British alt-right activist groups including the English Defense League, Britain First, and the British National Party. This ban includes, “posts and other content that “expresses praise or support” for these radical groups, according to the Guardian.
Facebook justified their actions stating, “Individuals and organisations who spread hate, or attack or call for the exclusion of others on the basis of who they are, have no place on Facebook.”
Should the controversial British National Party have the right to express their views? Facebook doesn't think so: “The individuals and organisations we have banned today violate this policy, and they will no longer be allowed a presence on Facebook or Instagram.”
Why is Facebook cracking down on hate speech now? Facebook is concerned about an impending government crackdown on social media. Their firm stance began back in February with the banning of far-right activist, Tommy Robinson. CNN reported that “he posted anti-Muslim content and engaged in activity offline supporting hate figures and groups.”
What is Facebook doing to track and control hate speech on their platform? This is getting a lot of attention in the UK. The Independent reports that the government is proposing that social media platforms such as Facebook “will be legally required to protect their users" by introducing a regulator. This proposal hearkens back to England’s toughness on censorship and Facebook’s readiness to comply when faced with the threat of government regulation.
What constitutes hate speech in the eyes of Facebook? On their official Community Standards page, Facebook explains:
“We define hate speech as a direct attack on people based on what we call protected characteristics — race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, caste, sex, gender, gender identity, and serious disease or disability.”
The English Defense League is known to be Islamophobic, whereas Britain First and the British National Party are fascist groups associated with white supremacy. As certain groups are demonized in these organizations, hateful rhetoric leads to impassioned acts of violence and terror. By the very nature of these groups, they go against Facebook’s policies.
Many are happy with Facebook’s decision while others are appalled. Far-right group, Knights Templar International, “said it was “horrified” by the ban, and that it was exploring legal options” according to the Guardian. As the battle against hate wins out, the battle for free speech is slowly losing its footing. Facebook’s power to eliminate hate across its platform is noble in rhetoric, but how much power is too much power?