Facebook needs to clarify policies on content removal!
Facebook recently found itself in yet another controversy and this time it is to stay unless the representatives give statement in favor of the demand. It is absolutely non-ignorable as the protest comes from more than 70 civil rights groups that call upon Facebook to clarify its policies on content removal from the social media platform.
The protest comes in the light of recent events when it was found that Facebook removed some of the posts without giving any clarification as to why it censored that content. These are said to be human rights documentations, most significantly the posts, pictures and videos on police brutality. Does Facebook need to justify its act or continue turning a deaf ear to the protests?
Yes1. Connecting the world: Facebook is not just another social media platform that people use to their lives with others across the globe. It has become a medium of citing one’s opinion when you cannot do that in the open. It is a voice for those who cannot shout out in the streets and expect words to reach across people. This burdens Facebook with a responsibility which it has to take care of. When these people turn to Facebook to cite their pleas, it is for a reason.
2. Clearing the doubts: Facebook has time and again been accused of being biased towards the ones who have power and province. Earlier it was accused of banning the profile and pages of people who spoke against the government of some nations. Now it is accused of censoring the content that showed the misconduct of police to African-American communities. Facebook accounts of members of Black Lives Matter movement have been deactivated. If they claim to be non-partial, it is about time they clarify their stand.
3. For the humanitarian Zuckerberg is: Mark and his wife have been showcasing their good work towards education and other charitable work for the poor and needy. When some of his people changed the painted slogans by black people on the wall of Facebook headquarter, he was quick to rebuke his people of this action. It seems like his claims are being put to test.
4. Freedom of expression: It is only human to express your rage and anger when your rights are denied. People have often used Facebook as a medium to express their thoughts and gather support from likeminded people, with the faith that people across the globe can see and hear their plights. However, with such censorship comes discouragement, losing hope in whatever little spark they thought they could ignite only if their pleas reached the public.
5. Silencing voices: Human rights are being violated at large. These are agitated people looking for a platform to spread the word and showcase pictures and videos that prove the media wrong. Spreading hatred is one thing and speaking for your own rights or for the rights of those tormented in front of your eyes is another. One cannot close eyes and be ignorant when they can see that people or any other authority is being brutal to a particular community.
No1. Community standards: Facebook already has community standards that determine the kind of content that would be allowed on the social media platform and those that wouldn’t be. If people cannot follow the simple rules that cite not to post anything that will cause mass unrest and violence, there is no need to clarify why Facebook chooses to remove content or block accounts of those that initiate violence spreading discussions.
2. They can remove at their jurisdiction: Facebook has its set of community who constantly look into posts and determine which ones of them are to cite violence and which ones are not. They are at no accountability to justify why they thought a particular content was starting to cause violence or make people angry over each other.
3. Keeping peace: To keep peace and ensure that the platform is not used by brainwashers to create groups that would plan and plot violent moves against authority or other community, it is important that Facebook keeps intact its content removing policies and not account as to why it banned a certain content and let the other flow.
Facebook must issue rules and regulations not following which would cause account deactivation or content censuring. This would ensure that people know what is allowed and what would land them in trouble. Censoring pictures and videos of police violence, removing iconic imagery from the Vietnam War and suspending accounts of two Palestinian journalist is definitely not going to go well with human rights groups.
