Facebook Intensifies on War against Hate Speech with New April Policies

In the wake of a massacre at two Mosques in New Zealand in early March, Facebook has banned support, praise and representation of white nationalism and white separatism on all its social media platforms which include Instagram.

In a statement released on 28th March 2019, Facebook said the new policy would be implemented beginning April 2019. “It’s clear that these concepts are deeply –linked to organized hate groups and has no place on our services,” the statement by Facebook read receiving support from New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.

PM Jacinda said during a press conference that those categories should always fall within community guidelines of hate speech and recognized that the clarification had come in the wake of the Christchurch attack.

Facebook had previously enacted a ban on posts that endorsed white supremacy as part of their fight against hate speech based on religion, ethnicity, race and has now added wider concepts of nationalism or political independence that include Basque separatism and American pride.

“Going forward, while people will still be able to demonstrate pride in their ethnic heritage,we will not tolerate praise or support for white nationalism and separatism,” the facebook statement stated.

Facebook did not however tie their announcement to the New Zealand massacre as it noted that it had been working on the new policy for three months while the massacre occurred only two weeks ago.

Facebook received global criticism after the gunmen broadcasted the shootings where at least 50 Muslims were shot dead live on the platform’s video.

White nationalism is an outlawed movement that preaches fictional ‘European’ ideals, rejects immigration and shares vicious threats on social media platforms. Whit nationalism has a large following in US and Canada.

The White Nationalism movement has been sprouted by extreme views on immigration from International leaders like US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Facebook also revealed that it would work to connect people who search for terms related with white supremacy to Life After Hate organization, which is focused on helping people leave hate groups.