Facebook bans BJP MLA Raja Singh for hate speech violation amid bias claim from both sides

Facebook on Thursday has banned BJP MLA T Raja Singh from its platform and Instagram for violating its policy on content promoting violence and hate. Facebook's action against the BJP leader from Telangana comes as it continues to face growing political pressure in India over its handling of hate speech content.

"We have banned Raja Singh from Facebook for violating our policy prohibiting those that promote or engage in violence and hate from having a presence on our platform, a Facebook spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

The statement further added that the process for evaluating potential violators is extensive and it is what led us to Facebook's decision to remove his account.

READ | What is Bagets on Facebook report? What actions did Facebook take against child abuse?

Facebook faces heat from political parties

Facebook has been facing flak from the political parties after a report on the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) alleged that Facebook's content policies favoured the ruling government in India. The report had claimed that Facebook had ignored posts containing hate speech by BJP MLA Raja Singh. Since then, the ruling BJP and Congress have been lambasting the social media giant over alleged bias.

Following the WSJ report, a Parliamentary panel had summoned Facebook representatives to discuss the issue of alleged misuse of the social media platform on Wednesday. According to media reports, the decision to remove Singh from the platform was taken after an extensive process that the company follows in determining which individuals meet the criteria for policy violation. Facebook had been working for some time to review Singh's actions, it said.

READ | Facebook says it remains committed to be open, transparent platform after facing IT panel

Singh placed under FB's dangerous individuals' & organisations policy

Facebook had previously removed the content Singh had posted that violated its policies which included in its hate speech policies, however the decision to ban Singh from the platform has been taken now. Singh is now designated under Facebook's dangerous individuals' and organisations policy, and he will not be allowed to maintain a presence on the platform going forward. As part of the ban, he will also not be allowed on Facebook or its photo and video-sharing platform Instagram. Facebook will remove Pages, Groups and accounts set up to represent him.

READ | Last resort of guilty is to hurl baseless charges at Left: CPI(M) on Prasad's letter to Facebook CEO

Ravi Shankar Prasad writes to FB CEO

Furthermore, on Tuesday, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had also written to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg. He accused the social media platform's employees of supporting people from a political predisposition that lost successive elections, and are abusing the Prime Minister and senior cabinet ministers.

READ | Facebook India chief Ajit Mohan appears before Parliament's IT panel amid row

(With PTI Inputs)