If no press is bad press, then Facebook (FB) is doing well for itself.
Amid continual criticism and continual lawsuits, the social media giant faces new controversy over a page called “You know she's playing hard to get when your chasing her down an alleyway” which is a pretty self-explanatory.
Anyone can set up a page on FB. But that sort of freedom becomes problematic when it violates human rights and promotes hate. Some consider the line between freedom of expression (as in the Americans' beloved First Amendment) and hate crimes blurry, but it really isn't.
Despite the fact that FB's terms of reference prohibit content that is “hateful, threatening, or pornographic; incites violence; or contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence,” the site claims rape fan pages are acceptable.
A spokesperson for FB claims that while direct statements of hate against particular communities violate their mandate, groups expressing an opinion – "even if that opinion is outrageous or offensive to some – do not by themselves violate our policies."
When pressed to remove the page, FB outrageously likened the rape page to "telling a rude joke". And yet they can quite happily pull “obscene” photos of women breastfeeding and fully clothed gay couples kissing.
Speech may be free but it's not harmless, and where it is condoned and even encouraged, it often spurs people into action. Almost 200,000 people currently 'like' the “You know she's playing hard to get when your chasing her down an alleyway” page.
Join me in telling Facebook where to stick their hateful page.
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