Facebook To End Policy Giving Politicians Free Rein To Post Hate Speech
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The social media giant reportedly will tighten content rules after years of giving politicians relative freedom to post abusive and hateful messages.
Facebook is set to end its policy that largely gives politicians carte blanche to break content rules against hate speech, a dramatic shift after years of largely leaving such posts alone because of their newsworthiness, according to several reports. When the change, first reported by The Verge, takes effect, politicians will be required to adhere to the company’s guidelines that prohibit harassment, discrimination or harmful posts. Facebook has already instituted policies meant to curb misinformation and false news, including removing posts that make false claims about COVID-19 vaccination efforts. The shift, which Facebook reportedly plans to announce on Friday, comes after the social media giant indefinitely banned former President Donald Trump from posting following his efforts to inflame supporters before the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Facebook Oversight Board upheld the suspension last month, but gave the company six months to determine if the response was “proportionate.” (The company does not currently list indefinite suspensions as part of its policies, The Washington Post notes.)More Related News