Facebook will remove rumours instigating violence

Facebook says it’s going to start taking down misinformation that could lead to violence.

The company’s new policy will begin in Sri Lanka and later expand to Myanmar. In both countries, human rights groups have faulted Facebook for an inadequate response to hate speech and the incitement of anti-Muslim violence.

Facebook has struggled over the past year to tamp down the global spread of rumours and political misinformation and explain what it will and won’t allow on its service after several high-profile mistakes.

The new policy announcement came not long after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg sought to clarify remarks he made about Holocaust deniers in a Wednesday interview that sparked sharp criticism. Zuckerberg had said Facebook posts denying the Holocaust took place would not be removed automatically.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says while he finds Holocaust denial “deeply offensive,” he doesn’t believe that such content should be banned from Facebook.

Speaking with Recode’s Kara Swisher, Zuckerberg, who is Jewish, said in an interview published Wednesday that he thinks there are things “that different people get wrong.” He added that he doesn’t think they are “intentionally” getting it wrong. At this point, Swisher cut in and said that in the case of Holocaust deniers, it may be intentionally wrong.

The remarks sparked criticism, including from the Anti-Defamation League, which said in a statement that Facebook has a “moral and ethical obligation” not to allow people to disseminate Holocaust denial on its platform.

Zuckerberg said offensive content isn’t necessarily banned unless it is to organize harm or attack someone.

(Source)