Facebook and Instagram have announced that they will be setting up groups to examine hate speech policies and bias in algorithms to ensure they are not enabling the amplification of extreme racist content or suppressing important anti-racism messaging on their platforms.
As part of the drive toward more inclusive platforms, Instagram's Equity Team and Facebook's Inclusive Product Council will be consulting with community leaders from black and minority ethnic groups to ensure a robust examination of machine learning systems and company hate speech policies. More details on how these new groups will be working are to be shared over the coming months.
The racial justice movement is a moment of real significance for our company. Any bias in our systems and policies run counter to providing a platform for everyone to express themselves. While we're always working to create a more equitable experience, we are setting up additional efforts to continue this progress.
Vishal Shah, Vice President of Product, Instagram
In addition to these steps, Mark Zuckerberg has also agreed to join Facebook's Chief Operating Officer, Sheryl Sandberg, at a meeting with leading brands and civil rights groups to detail how Facebook intends to deal with the problem.
Over 400 brands, including Coca-Cola, Starbucks, and Lego, have suspended advertising on Facebook and other social media platforms as part of a push for positive action against the online spread or promotion of hate, bigotry, racism, anti-Semitism, and violence.
It is encouraging to see Facebook and Instagram acknowledging that steps need to be taken to curb the worrying rise in extremist racist content being shared and amplified online. This kind of content promotes division and shuts down meaningful conversations at a time when we desperately need more empathy and unity.
Dan Raisbeck, Co-founder, The Cybersmile Foundation
Mark Zuckerberg recently appeared in a livestream where he outlined Facebook's commitment to meeting these challenges.
I think that we are going to make progress on racial justice and I think we are going to be able to do that while maintaining our democratic traditions around free expression, and I'm committed to making sure that Facebook is a force for good on this journey.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO, Facebook
The development of increasingly sophisticated algorithms to tackle all forms of abuse, including racism, online is a significant challenge for social media platforms. Balancing bias and ensuring that machine learning systems are designed to support communities will need careful consideration, especially when it comes to protecting free speech.