Social Media

Facebook Bans White Supremacy....FINALLY!

After many years of individuals all over the globe complaining that they still have to deal with the issue of white supremacy on Facebook, the multi-billion dollar company has finally placed a ban on anything in their posts relating to white supremacy. But what finally caused them to give in and listen to their users (for a change)? All it took was two mass shootings at different mosques in New Zealand. 

According to aljareeza.com, "Facebook policies already banned posts endorsing white supremacy as part of the company's prohibition against spewing hate at people based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity and religion. The ban had not applied to expressions of white nationalism, Facebook said, because it linked such expressions with broader concepts of nationalism or political independence - such as American pride or Basque separatism. But conversations with civil rights groups and academics in recent months led Facebook to conclude that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organised hate groups, the statement said. 'Going forward, while people will still be able to demonstrate pride in their ethnic heritage, we will not tolerate praise or support for white nationalism and separatism," Facebook said.' "

Though Facebook did not link the new act to any specific event, and said it had been working on the change for three months, the statement came less than two weeks after the company received widespread criticism related to the mosque shootings in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. The shooting suspect was able to broadcast the massacre on live video on Facebook, and at least 50 Muslim worshippers were killed in the gun assaults, according to aljareeza.com. 

The massacres in New Zealand are one of the many pieces of evidence of white nationalism spreading like wildfire. Most of these ideals preach a standard "European" life, rejecting any form of immigration from anywhere in the world, and shares many vicious online threats, though it is rare for any of said threats to be carried out. The New Zealand shootings are considered a rare occurrence on that front. 

According to aljareeza.com ,when asked about the potential threat that white supremacy could be, they said this: "Some analysts say it is a cohesive movement bound together online that stretches across Europe into Russia and has a wide following in the US and Canada. They say it poses as much of an international threat as violence inspired by groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) - and they add that the threat is even greater in the US, where white nationalist attacks have outpaced those by other groups for years. According to some researchers, white nationalists have been emboldened by the rise of politicians espousing traditionalist views and a tough line on immigration - from Marine Le Pen in France and Viktor Orban in Hungary to Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump."