Responding to “I Can’t Breathe,” and Pandemic
Jerry Lawson·6 min
Politics
Facebook Faces the Music of Racism in Banishment of White Nationalism and Separatism.
Pierre Roustan
April 10, 2019·3 min read
Lots of "ism's" there but Facebook's used to all this controversy, right?
Seriously, you have to hand it to Mr. Zuckerberg and his iron will. The guy's been through a lot regarding technology and the impact it has on everything regarding data privacy and even free speech. That's both the problem and the strength of social media as a whole -- anyone can say or do anything they want on these platforms, and in general, they can't catch flack for it, but here's the odd thing:
The Social Media Platform Showing It Can - and Facebook Has...
Civil rights groups have been hounding the social media giant -- as well as hounding Twitter and YouTube -- about content that's harmful from an equality and human rights standpoint. This also includes the whole fake news and abuse posts we see on occasion. They're not pretty.
That's what technology these days deals with -- again, people can do or say what they want in this free realm. Should we blame technology for it? No.
Still, Facebook has gone through with the banishment of such white nationalism and separatism on their platform, but at what cost? Many may already be calling it reverse racism as now the ability to freely speak on whatever is on your mind has been severely limited, albeit some of the things people will want to talk about online may be rather far-fetched and a bit obscene.
However, when you find that Facebook, unfortunately, had to be on the blunt end of a live-streamed video depicting a massacre of 50 people in mosques, you can't blame Zuckerberg for wanting to brave the big finger-pointing.
The administrators of the platform have definitively beefed up the content monitoring to an extreme, taking down event pages that would be promoting white supremacy effectively. Here's what's interesting, though: Facebook policy already includes the distinction that hateful content is not allowed. Where do we draw the line? Truly Facebook has indeed drawn a hard line now. Before, the free speech of your nationalism, your ethnicity, the pride of your belief in religion: that just wasn't harmful at all. But now white supremacy has become harmful, no doubt. Ultimately it just comes down to a choice --
Take a Stand Against All Cost and Repercussion, or Don't Take a Stand and Continue Hearing the Complaints
It is a difficult time for social media. No doubt Facebook may face charges for discrimination by doing that, but you better believe many groups, and even countries, might stand by Zuckerberg's decision. Nothing's ever easy -- especially when groups tend to blur the lines. After all, what is white nationalism anyway? Is it really "hateful content"? Or maybe it now includes hateful content? Is it possible for that to include hateful content? Is white nationalism and separatism any different from ethnic pride in your heritage or race?
Let us know what you think and SIGN UP FOR YOUR OWN VIGYAA ACCOUNT TO BECOME AN INFLUENCER.
Still, Facebook has gone through with the banishment of such white nationalism and separatism on their platform, but at what cost? Many may already be calling it reverse racism as now the ability to freely speak on whatever is on your mind has been severely limited, albeit some of the things people will want to talk about online may be rather far-fetched and a bit obscene.
However, when you find that Facebook, unfortunately, had to be on the blunt end of a live-streamed video depicting a massacre of 50 people in mosques, you can't blame Zuckerberg for wanting to brave the big finger-pointing.
The administrators of the platform have definitively beefed up the content monitoring to an extreme, taking down event pages that would be promoting white supremacy effectively. Here's what's interesting, though: Facebook policy already includes the distinction that hateful content is not allowed. Where do we draw the line? Truly Facebook has indeed drawn a hard line now. Before, the free speech of your nationalism, your ethnicity, the pride of your belief in religion: that just wasn't harmful at all. But now white supremacy has become harmful, no doubt. Ultimately it just comes down to a choice --
Take a Stand Against All Cost and Repercussion, or Don't Take a Stand and Continue Hearing the Complaints
It is a difficult time for social media. No doubt Facebook may face charges for discrimination by doing that, but you better believe many groups, and even countries, might stand by Zuckerberg's decision. Nothing's ever easy -- especially when groups tend to blur the lines. After all, what is white nationalism anyway? Is it really "hateful content"? Or maybe it now includes hateful content? Is it possible for that to include hateful content? Is white nationalism and separatism any different from ethnic pride in your heritage or race?
Let us know what you think and SIGN UP FOR YOUR OWN VIGYAA ACCOUNT TO BECOME AN INFLUENCER. 📈DataDrivenAlphaBetaDDI Smart Block
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I am an author, adventurer, father, philosopher, philanthropist, athlete, gamer, U.S. chess champion, health nut, activist, and advocate for humanity, living in a quiet home with my wife, four daughters and one son in Red Rock, Texas. I've lived a life worth multiple lives and then some. I've trekked through tundras, waded through swamps, faced fire ants, wandered through deserts, swam in the Great Barrier Reef, explored a shipwreck, walked a runway, sat in prison, been in a mental hospital, adored and hated others, lost and gained a lot, fought wars in a courtroom, lost wars in my heart, and held loved ones in my arms as they breathed their last breath. I've braved storms of all kinds in life, and I have plenty more life to live as well.... I'm ready to write all about it. Care for a read?