Nick Hopkins - How Facebook flouts Holocaust denial laws except where it fears being sued
Facebook’s policies on Holocaust denial
will come under fresh scrutiny following the leak of documents that show
moderators are being told not to remove this content in most of the countries
where it is illegal. The files explain that
moderators should take down Holocaust denial material in only four of the 14
countries where it is outlawed, if reported. One document says the
company “does not welcome local law that stands as an obstacle to an open and connected
world” and will only consider blocking or hiding Holocaust denial messages and
photographs if “we face the risk of getting blocked in a country or a legal
risk”. A picture of a
concentration camp with the caption “Never again Believe the Lies” was
permissible if posted anywhere other than the four countries in which Facebook
fears legal action, one document explains. Facebook contested
the figures but declined to elaborate.
The social media
service has also decided that migrants, refugees and asylum seekers should be
regarded as a “quasi-protected category” – so they will not receive the
protections given to other vulnerable groups. Documents
show Facebook has told moderators to remove dehumanising speech or any
“calls for violence” against refugees. Content “that says migrants should face
a firing squad or compares them to animals, criminals or filth” also violate
its guidelines. But it adds: “As a
quasi-protected category, they will not have the full protections of our hate
speech policy because we want to allow people to have broad
discussions on migrants and immigration which is a hot topic in upcoming
elections.”
According to the
documents, comments permitted under the policy include ones such as: “Islam is
a religion of hate. Close the borders to immigrating Muslims until we figure
out what the hell is going on”; “migrants are so filthy”; “migrants are thieves
and robbers”; and “Mexican immigrants are freeloaders mooching off of tax
dollars we don’t even have”. The documents show
moderators have been told they do not have to delete comment such as “Fuck
immigrant” and “Keep the horny migrant teenagers away from our daughters”... read more:
