Years after being chastised for its role in ethnic and religious bloodshed in Myanmar, Facebook still fails to detect and monitor hate speech and misinformation on its platform in the Southeast Asian country, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press.
Three years ago, the firm commissioned an investigation that claimed that Facebook was being used in the country to ‘foment division and instigate offline violence.’ It promised to do better and created a number of tools and regulations to combat hate speech.
However, the violations have remained – and have even been exploited by hostile actors – since the military takeover on February 1 this year, which resulted in heinous human rights violations across the country.
It’s not difficult to discover remarks on Facebook now threatening death and rape in Myanmar.
In Myanmar, Facebook has a shorter but more tumultuous history than in most other nations. Myanmar was linked to the internet in 2000, after decades of suppression under military rule. Soon after, Facebook partnered with local telecom carriers, allowing clients to access the site without having to pay for data, which was still pricey at the time. The platform’s use exploded. For many people in Myanmar, Facebook has essentially replaced the internet.
Post Your Comments