Mark Zuckerberg Vows To Remove Hate Speech, Threats On Facebook

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the latest high-profile tech executive to come out against hate speech groups in the aftermath of violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va. last weekend.

In a note on his Facebook page, Zuckerberg expressed support for general debate and differing viewpoints, but came out strongly against violence or threats based on hate speech. He also detailed what Facebook plans to do about terrorism or hate speech groups who use the site:

There is no place for hate in our community. That's why we've always taken down any post that promotes or celebrates hate crimes or acts of terrorism -- including what happened in Charlottesville. With the potential for more rallies, we're watching the situation closely and will take down threats of physical harm. We won't always be perfect, but you have my commitment that we'll keep working to make Facebook a place where everyone can feel safe.

The last few days have been hard to process. I know a lot of us have been asking where this hate comes from. As a Jew, it's something I've wondered much of my life. It's a disgrace that we still need to say that neo-Nazis and white supremacists are wrong -- as if this is somehow not obvious. My thoughts are with the victims of hate around the world, and everyone who has the courage to stand up to it every day.

Zuckerberg’s post comes days after a series of neo-Nazi and white nationalist rallies in Charlottesville over the weekend that were marked by violence. In the days since the rally, numerous tech companies have taken an aggressive stance towards hate groups who use its services.

Tech Companies Who’ve Responded To Charlottesville

• Spotify will remove music from bands who’ve been classified as white supremacist or hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

• Neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer had its web hosting canceled by a series of companies including Google and GoDaddy.

• Reddit and Facebook have taken down numerous alt-right groups and subreddits who used their sites as a platform. While both companies have long been known to take a lax approach to similar groups on free speech grounds, the content of many targeted groups played a role in their takedowns. A reddit spokesperson told CNET that “posting content that incites violence” and terms of service violations were major reasons behind the site’s bans.

Zuckerberg’s statement is also the CEO’s latest instance of weighing in on breaking or major news. In the past, the Facebook leader has used his Facebook page to comment on issues like President Donald Trump’s tweet on a ban for transgender soldiers and the ban on immigration from several majority-Muslim countries. While Zuckerberg has regularly squashed speculation around a potential presidential run in 2020, the Facebook CEO’s latest political statement highlights the tech industry’s gradual willingness to engage with current issues.