Meta Revises Hate Speech Rules, Zuckerberg Cites Elections as Reason

Photo : AP

Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, has changed its rules about what people can post on its platforms. The company is now allowing more things that were once not allowed, especially when it comes to talking about people’s gender, sexual preference, and immigration status.

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Some groups who work to protect people’s rights are worried. They believe these changes could hurt people in real life.

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, said the company made these changes because many people are talking more about issues like gender and immigration. He also said that recent elections were a big reason for the changes.

Meta is now allowing people to say things about someone’s gender or sexual preference in a hurtful way. For example, it’s now okay for people to say bad things, like calling gay people mentally ill, on Facebook and Instagram. But, some things like saying things that hurt people’s history, like denying the Holocaust or doing Blackface, are still not allowed.

Meta also removed a part of its rules that said hate speech can make people feel scared and cause harm in the real world. This has made some experts worried. They believe that Meta’s past actions have led to problems, like when Facebook was used to spread hate and cause violence in places like Myanmar.

Ben Leiner, a professor who studies technology and politics, believes Meta made these changes to please the government and save money. He thinks this will cause more problems, not only in the U.S. but also in other countries, where bad information has led to fights and violence.

A former Meta worker named Arturo Bjar is also concerned. He said Meta will now only act if people report harmful posts instead of stopping them quickly. Meta will focus only on the worst problems, like terrorism and child abuse, but other harmful posts might stay online for a long time before being removed.

Bjar said that this could be dangerous for young people. Bad posts could stay online until someone complains about them. He believes Meta is not doing enough to protect young people. He also said Meta is not clear about how these changes will affect teenagers and is trying to stop laws that could help keep them safe.

In short, Meta’s rule changes are making a lot of people worried. Some think these changes will allow bad things to spread and hurt people.

Jan. 9, 2025 1:46 p.m. 669

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