Articles

guardian.co.uk

Facebook gives Holocaust deniers a hand

Facebook is aiding the spread of hate at a time of rising racism

Facebook has decided not to remove groups that deny the Holocaust. This policy contradicts its own "statement of rights and responsibilities", which clearly states "you will not post content that is hateful". Facebook seems to be ignorant of the inherent danger of Holocaust denial, the deeply hateful nature of it, and international efforts against racism. It either fails to understand the responsibility it has to society, or it has placed profit far above morality.

Holocaust denial is illegal in 13 countries. Other countries, such as Australia, have broader laws prohibiting racial vilification -- the carrying out of a public act that will "offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or group of people" who are targeted because of "race, colour or national or ethnic origin". In the UK there has long been a debate over strengthening anti-hate laws to close gaps that have been exploited by the likes of the BNP. One gap, for example, makes it an offence to incite hate, but not to be directly hateful to a victim (the case prevented by the Australian laws). The law is, however, a bare minimum. More action against hate is often required, as the National Union of Students has shown with its "no platform policy" -- a total boycott of proscribed racist and fascist groups.

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