The Wall Street Journal reported that “Facebook fears” violent retribution if it kicks Hindu extremist groups off the platform.
Facebook is famous for censoring peaceful conservatives, but has been slow to censor anti-Christian extremists. “Dozens of religious extremists burst into a Pentecostal church outside New Delhi in June, claiming it was built atop a Hindu temple,” The Wall Street Journal (The Journal) reported Dec 13. The group allegedly attacked the pastor and “installed a Hindu idol in protest,” an attack for which Hindu organization Bajrang Dal reportedly claimed responsibility. The Bajrang Dal video that summarized and took responsibility for the incident has been reportedly “viewed almost 250,000 times on Facebook.” The logic for why Facebook would allow such content to remain sadly gives extremist groups a clear message that violence will help them get their way:
“Facebook Inc. FB +0.62% balked at removing the group following warnings in a report from its security team that cracking down on Bajrang Dal might endanger both the company’s business prospects and its staff in India, the people said. Besides risking infuriating India’s ruling Hindu nationalist politicians, banning Bajrang Dal might precipitate physical attacks against Facebook personnel or facilities, the report warned.”
Facebook removed the video “following Journal queries about it,” reported The Journal. Christian Pastor Varun Malik said he had been “punched in the head by one of the invaders” in the incident: “I was really afraid,” he recounted. “Church officials said that they reported the incident to police but that no action has been taken against the men,” The Journal summarized.
The Journal illustrated Bajrang Dal’s infamous reputation in that it “has been deemed a militant religious organization by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, have been convicted of hate crimes and religiously motivated killings.” The same article also included the morbid detail: “[S]ome Facebook communities devoted to it celebrate images of people beaten or killed for their alleged offenses against Hinduism.”
Facebook’s employees even wrote a letter to their leadership, denouncing how “the presence of Bajrang Dal on its platform, among other organizations, casts doubt on the company’s commitment to tackle hate speech in India,” The Journal elucidated.
Facebook’s hesitancy to restrict reportedly violent groups is sadly unsurprising from the platform.
Facebook executives have claimed in recent months that they are restricting content to prevent “civil unrest.” But Facebook has repeatedly censored or banned groups on the right, while allowing reportedly violent Antifa factions and left-wing militia organizations. Even after being contacted about what major media described as violent groups such as Rose City Antifa and foreign political interference like far-left Canadian organization Adbusters, Facebook has proven it has not followed through on its commitment to reduce political unrest amidst the 2020 election.
Conservatives are under attack. Contact Facebook headquarters at 1-650-308-7300 and demand that Big Tech be held to account and prevent violence against Christians. If you have been censored, contact us at the Media Research Center contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.
