From Freedom of Speech to Hate- Speech

Response to a request to remove a group named “Death to Israel” is the following: “Thank you for taking the time to report something that you feel may violate our Community Standards. Reports like yours are an important part of making Facebook a safe and welcoming environment. We reviewed the page you reported for harassment and found it doesn't violate our Community Standards.” The same response is received also after reporting a page named “Against the Zionists,” which calls directly to destroy Israel. Same goes for reporting a caricature presenting fat, big-nosed “Jews” as creatures that control every aspect of the world.

Facebook’s algorithm does not recognize the listed above as harassments or dangers of any sort. To Facebook, the largest social network in the world, founded by a smart Jewish boy, calls to “kill,” “destroy” or “vanish” the Jews or Israel is legitimate, or to put it in their words, not a violation of their Community Standards.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of groups, fan pages and profiles calling to kill Jews or other religious groups, ethnic groups and other minorities. These groups and their hate speeches have no place in our world, but not only because hatred causes humanity to deteriorate. These groups have no place in our world because they spread messages that must not spread. The lies, the manipulations the propaganda, all easily convince the clueless, and in the age of instant messaging, incitement becomes a contagious epidemic.

The content of these hate-groups is being exposed to millions and enjoys the support of hundreds of thousands of people who, with the blink of an eye, can turn words into actions. When Facebook protects those groups, it does so in the name of Freedom of Speech. The people of the democratic World Wide Web have a right to say whatever is in their hearts. This claim is hard to oppose, and this is why Facebook does not hurry to delete every group, page or user being reported. However, this freedom-based algorithm does not fully take into account the risks of allowing freedom of speech at any cost.

There’s a thin line between criticism and hate, between anger and calls for dangerous action. Criticizing the state of Israel, while sometimes accompanied by a pack full of lies, is legitimate. Criticizing AIPAC can also be legitimate, as well as criticizing individuals, Jews or not. Including all of the Jewish people under one umbrella of “Jews,” accusing them of crimes is pure racism. Calling to kill a group of people is illegal. Together, these acts of hatred can cause serious, large-scale crimes in the near future.

The feeling of hatred can never vanish. People will always hate because it provides them with solutions to their problems. Blaming someone else for everything that’s wrong will always be easier than facing difficulties and issues. What CAN be dissolved is the ability to spread hate publicly under the excuse of the First Amendment, at least when it is under the control of Facebook and other social networks. Sometimes, freedom of speech must be limited, even at the cost of someone getting mad about “being silenced.” This is far better than the other, lethal, outcome.

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