SPLC: Facebook and Instagram ban far-right and extremist figures, but still have more work to do against hateful content

The following statement is from Keegan Hankes, senior research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center:

“Facebook and Instagram announced today that they have banned several far-right, antisemitic and extremist figures and organizations for being ‘dangerous,’ a sign that they are more aggressively enforcing their hate speech policies under pressure from civil rights organizations, including the SPLC.

“This is an important step for Facebook – which also owns and controls Instagram – toward meaningfully enforcing its own policies on extremist content, but we know that there are still white supremacists and other extremist figures who are actively using both platforms to spread their hatred and bigotry.

“The SPLC believes that conspiratorial and bigoted individuals, including Alex Jones, Paul Joseph Watson and Milo Yiannopoulos are well-known figures in this movement and on the pathway toward extremism. 

“We strongly believe that Facebook has a responsibility to enforce its ban comprehensively on both social-media platforms, and to make sure that these figures do not return to them in any form as they have in the past. The SPLC will continue to monitor how Facebook is enforcing its policies related to extremist content.

“Facebook, and other tech companies, still have more work to do.”