NEW YORK – The World Jewish Congress applauds Facebook for its unrivaled move to ban white nationalist and white separatist posts from its platform, following years of appeals from the World Jewish Congress and other organizations demanding an aggressive policy against hateful content online.
“The World Jewish Congress and its affiliated communities in more than 100 countries are directly and dangerously affected by the proliferation of hate speech and incitement to violence online, and we have long advocated to Facebook and other social media companies to recognize that retrospective flagging and consideration of individual posts, on isolated bases, cannot suffice in a world that thrives on digital presence and influence,” said WJC CEO and Executive Vice President Robert Singer.
“We are deeply grateful to Facebook for taking the lead in trying to nip this cancerous spread of offensive material in the bud and hope that this policy will be implemented swiftly and effectively,” Singer said. “It is no easy task to flag and remove the hundreds of thousands of antisemitic, racist, xenophobic, and discriminatory posts uploaded each year, and we know that the mission ahead in identifying the groups and individuals behind this material is enormous. That said, it is absolutely necessary. There can be no gray area when it comes to hateful material online. Hate speech must be removed, period.”
“We are confident that Facebook will continue to embrace its moral corporate responsibility carefully and diligently, to ensure that this policy is extended to all existing and potential offenders, including blatant Holocaust deniers and obfuscators in all languages, as well as neo-Nazi groups such as the organizers of the Lukov March and other demonstrations, which brand themselves as ultra-nationalists to disguise their true intentions of glorifying murderers and their collaborators,” Singer said. “We also underscore our appreciation for Facebook’s support and involvement in the WJC’s #WeRemember campaign to raise awareness about the Holocaust, and all of its ongoing efforts to actively engage young people to educate about the horrors of hatred. This cannot be understated.”
“The World Jewish Congress is in constant and direct contact with Facebook to this regard, and our global network stands ready to assist in any and every way possible,” Singer added. “We call on other social media companies to follow suit and implement assertive policies that make it clear to zealous ideologues that hate has no place online. There can be no alternative to an outright ban in our pursuit of making the digital world a safe and welcoming space for all.”
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