Facebook is currently banning women who complain about men as a group, a decision which sees comments such as “men are scum” branded as “hate speech”.
Hang on. That Facebook? The Facebook? The same Facebook that decided, in February, that the Islamaphobic comment “Go out, and kill as many off these goatfuckers as you can” didn’t violate its Community Standards? The same Facebook that ruled, a month later, that sexualised images of children also didn’t violate its policies?
Facebook’s baffling rules about what is and isn’t banned first came under scrutiny in June this year, when The Guardian published internal documents showcasing the site’s guidelines distinguishing hate speech from free speech (famously, “To snap a bitch’s neck, make sure to apply all your pressure to the middle of her throat” is a permitted comment on the site). But would you be able to be a Facebook moderator and enforce its rules? Take our quiz to see if you have the same standards as the site.
“We should put all foreigners in gas chambers”
Because the act of violence described in this comment isn’t considered “credible” by Facebook, the comment would remain on the site.
“Someone needs to murder Donald Trump”
This comment would be deleted by the site as it is a threat against a head of state, and is considered “credible” violence by the social network.
“I wish Obama was dead”
This is considered non-credible by the site, as it is seen as a “generic” threat.
“All white people are racist”
This comment, posted by the poet and Black Lives Matter activist Didi Delgado in May, was removed by Facebook. Her account was disabled for a week.
“I seriously hope someone rapes and murders you. You’re an ugly fucking cunt”
When politics editor Paige Lavender reported this message to Facebook, the site reviewed it and found it did not go against their Community Standards.
“Black children are scum”
While Facebook does delete hate speech directed at a person’s race, the site’s rules change when “subsets” of these groups are written about. Adding a specific qualifier such as “children” (other examples might include “female drivers” or “Muslim immigrants”) means the group in question is no longer automatically protected by Facebook’s rules.
“People with red hair should be knifed”
Content from our partners
Related
