Facebook Is Banning White Nationalist, Separatist And Supremacist Content

Facebook is banning content that's related to white nationalism, white separatism and white supremacy.

The move has been in the works for several months, however it's timely considering the Christchurch terrorist was spouting white nationalistic sentiments before he massacred 50 people in New Zealand and live streamed it on Facebook.

The social media giant had already installed a ban on hate speech, but now it has taken it a step further by making sure that content specifically related to white nationalism don't stay up on the page.

Facebook's policy director of counter-terrorism Brian Fishman has told Motherboard: "We've had conversations with more than 20 members of civil society, academics, in some cases these were civil rights organizations, experts in race relations from around the world.

"We decided that the overlap between white nationalism, [white] separatism, and white supremacy is so extensive we really can't make a meaningful distinction between them.

"And that's because the language and the rhetoric that is used and the ideology that it represents overlaps to a degree that it is not a meaningful distinction."

The ban will come into effect next week.

Groups are calling the decision a massive step forward and something that is 'long overdue'.

Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law president and executive director Kristen Clarke wrote: "There is no defensible distinction that can be drawn between white supremacy, white nationalism or white separatism.

"By maintaining this distinction, Facebook ended up providing violent racists a platform that could be exploited to promote hate."

While the ban is being celebrated, commentators are pointing out that groups that called themselves white nationalists can just rebrand before the move comes in in order to avoid an outright ban.

Questions are being raised whether Facebook already has a list of these groups and will remove them from the platform or if they'll be able to still operate, just with more appropriate language.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, Facebook, Technology

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie