Muslim Advocates
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Muslim Advocates and the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism released Complicit: The Human Cost of Facebook’s Disregard for Muslim Life. This new, groundbreaking report documents Facebook’s instrumental role in anti-Muslim violence and threats in nine nations around the world, its support of anti-Muslim authoritarian regimes and its anti-Muslim senior staff. This report is the first comprehensive, worldwide review of Facebook’s role in enabling anti-Muslim hate.
Complicit shows how Facebook enables anti-Muslim hate and violence around the world, including in many of its largest markets. The report shows that the company has played a role in anti-Muslim violence in Germany, Sweden, New Zealand and the United States, as well as enabling anti-Muslim governments and politicians in China, Hungary, India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
“In country after country, anti-Muslim staff at Facebook support anti-Muslim regimes, amplify anti-Muslim rhetoric, and enable anti-Muslim violence,” said Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates. “This groundbreaking report shows that there are no excuses for this; it’s simply willful disregard for the well-being of people simply because they are Muslim. Facebook has been warned at every level—by individuals, NGOs, international institutions and by the victims themselves. These are not simple mistakes or oversights, this is complicity.”
“For far too long, Facebook has been complicit in allowing anti-Muslim hate and violence to thrive and grow,” said Heidi Beirich, executive vice president of Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. “There are real consequences to their actions—namely the loss of Muslim lives across the globe. Riots, mob violence and even genocide have been orchestrated on Facebook. In recent months, Facebook has made the important decision to de-platform various hate content, but it continues to fail the Muslim community. That must stop. The costs are already too high.”
Muslim Advocates is a national civil rights organization working in the courts, in the halls of power and in communities to halt bigotry in its tracks. We ensure that American Muslims have a seat at the table with expert representation so that all Americans may live free from hate and discrimination.
Global Project Against Hate and Extremism is dedicated to global actions and global solutions. Strengthening a diverse global community committed to exposing and countering racism, bigotry, and prejudice; and promoting human rights that are central to flourishing, multicultural societies and democracies.
Note: Muslim Advocates and the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism are members of Change the Terms, a coalition of civil rights, anti-hate and open-internet organizations working to stop online hate.
