In a move to promote equality among all its users, Facebook has taken a move to disallow praise, support, and other related representations of white nationalism and white separatism on Facebook and Instagram, which are especially linked with organized hate groups on social networking sites.
Our policies have long prohibited hateful treatment of people based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity or religion – and that has always included white supremacy. – Facebook
Facebook has taken this decision after having consulted members of civil society organizations whose expertise is in race relations around the world and who have ratified that there are major overlaps between white nationalism, white separatism and white supremacy, which are the causes for organized hate groups.
Facebook promotes diverse ethnicity but will no longer allow pride demonstrated in white nationalism and white separatism on its social platforms.
Moreover, Facebook has also decided to direct such commentators to the organization Life After Hate to introduce educational resources, reach out to them and avert the crisis, and function as a support group.
Unfortunately, there will always be people who try to game our systems to spread hate. Our challenge is to stay ahead by continuing to improve our technologies, evolve our policies and work with experts who can bolster our own efforts.
Facebook’s recent move has been appreciated even though some believe that, ideally, it should have been implemented much earlier. Facebook had previously maintained a distinction between white supremacy, white nationalism, and white separatism, which had caused the flourishing of hate and racism, even violent at times, on the platform.
According to Vice News, it might be quite challenging to ban right off the bat, even with Facebook’s policy of banning phrases like I am a proud white nationalist and other content comprising related implied and coded sentiments.
