A report prepared by Facebook’s researchers found that WhatsApp was awash with “rumours and calls to violence” during the Delhi riots of February 2020, while users who were interviewed said they were frequently subjected to “a large amount of content that encourages conflict, hatred and violence on Facebook and WhatsApp”, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
The report, the latest in a series by the newspaper based on internal Facebook communications, says Facebook is aware that its services are used in India to spread religious hatred. It also highlights the problems that Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen cited, including that Hindutva groups spread anti-Muslim content but are protected due to ‘political sensitivities’.
The Wall Street Journal says the internal documents “offer an unparalleled look at how its rules favour elites, its algorithms breed discord, and its services are used to incite violence and target vulnerable people”.
— source thewire.in | 24/Oct/2021