EXPERT VIEW
Mark SIMMONDS Ex-Tory minister and senior adviser to the Counter Extremism Project
NO WONDER Facebook cannot go a day without attracting criticism when it blatantly broadcasts sickening IS propaganda like this.
The Facebook process continues to fail. It struggles to detect hate speech and fake news, and broadcasts IS propaganda day after day.
Meanwhile, as this Counter Extremism Project report shows, the company has clearly not invested enough money in technology or staff to prevent extremists exploiting the platform.
Little wonder, then, that IS uses Facebook to do its dirty work. Does Facebook need a new algorithm or is this all part of the business model?
The bosses continue to bluff their way out whenever challenged, rather than tackling the issue head-on.
When chief executive Mark Zuckerberg testified in front of the US government and the European Parliament, he promised changes to address concerns around hate speech, extremist content and fake news. Yet still these issues persist.
In an age where terror attacks are committed by people radicalised by glossy online videos uploaded thousands of miles away, we can’t afford to wait any longer. Facebook is helping IS become a global threat.
Our researchers found IS videos which had been online for months. Some showed executions and amputations, had attracted thousands of views and had been shared without action being taken. There is simply no excuse when Facebook has already been offered – and turned down – free use of technology that would stop this happening.
No doubt when presented with this information Facebook will turn on the charm, quote figures and promise change.
There comes a time when we must ask why they are not investing more of the billions they are making in keeping us safe. Are they putting profits before ethics?
We cannot allow this platform to continue peddling extremist propaganda and putting people in this country in danger. We must now ask is Facebook unable to detect and take down extremist content, or simply unwilling? Neither is acceptable.