The Wall Street Journal report last week said Facebook’s top public-policy executive in India had opposed applying hate-speech rules. — Reuters pic
But a huge row has now erupted in India after the Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook stopped short of banning a ruling party MP even after he posted comments and made speeches saying Rohingya Muslim immigrants should be shot, Muslims were traitors, and threatened to raze mosques. This was even after employees concluded Singh had violated its rules, the Journal said, citing current and former Facebook staff.
Without commenting directly on the Journal report, Facebook said today it would always prohibit “hate speech and content that incites violence”, and would “enforce these policies globally without regard to anyone’s political position or party affiliation”.