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With my friends @AGKarlRacine and @ILAttyGeneral we've lined up 20 state AGs who are demanding that you do more to protect victims of online hate.
What are we requesting? Seven things:
With my friends @AGKarlRacine and @ILAttyGeneral we've lined up 20 state AGs who are demanding that you do more to protect victims of online hate.
What are we requesting? Seven things:
First, enforce your own policies against hate speech.
Last year, my office warned you about a viciously antisemitic group based in central Jersey. We kept pointing out that the group violated your terms of service.
It took you 10 months to take their page down.
Last year, my office warned you about a viciously antisemitic group based in central Jersey. We kept pointing out that the group violated your terms of service.
It took you 10 months to take their page down.
Second, allow third-party audits of your anti-hate enforcement efforts. Make the results public.
We need independent experts, not people with an incentive to protect FB’s reputation, assessing the company's progress rooting out hate. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.
We need independent experts, not people with an incentive to protect FB’s reputation, assessing the company's progress rooting out hate. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.
Third, commit to an independent analysis into how your algorithms fuel online extremism. And then find a way to fix it.
We all know that Facebook's algorithms push users to extremist online communities. We deserve to know why.
We all know that Facebook's algorithms push users to extremist online communities. We deserve to know why.
Fourth, expand your policy against inflammatory ads.
You don't allow ads that say minorities are dangerous. That's good.
But you *do* let people buy ads that claim a minority group poses a threat to "national culture." That's bad.
You don't allow ads that say minorities are dangerous. That's good.
But you *do* let people buy ads that claim a minority group poses a threat to "national culture." That's bad.
Fifth, offer live real-time assistance.
Facebook users can report intimidation and harassment but cannot immediately engage a FB employee who can address issues in real time. That's a problem, especially when the user is being doxxed.
Facebook users can report intimidation and harassment but cannot immediately engage a FB employee who can address issues in real time. That's a problem, especially when the user is being doxxed.
Sixth, make it easier for victims and law enforcement to preserve evidence of harassment or intimidation.
I've prosecuted plenty of cybercrimes in my career. I know how cumbersome it can be to obtain evidence from Facebook and other platforms.
I've prosecuted plenty of cybercrimes in my career. I know how cumbersome it can be to obtain evidence from Facebook and other platforms.
Seventh, strengthen your filtering, reporting, and blocking tools.
Make it easier to filter out hateful and harassing content. Allow victims of coordinated attacks to report posts in batches rather than individually. Simplify the entire process.
Make it easier to filter out hateful and harassing content. Allow victims of coordinated attacks to report posts in batches rather than individually. Simplify the entire process.
Look, I get it. It’s not easy running a $500 billion company.
But your platform has served as a vehicle for untold acts of harassment and violence. You owe it to the victims of those crimes to prevent similar acts in the future.
20 state AGs are watching.
But your platform has served as a vehicle for untold acts of harassment and violence. You owe it to the victims of those crimes to prevent similar acts in the future.
20 state AGs are watching.
Want to learn more? Read our letter here: https://bit.ly/3kbwIgl
