Facebook issues carefully worded statement amid BJP-Congress war on its hate-speech policy

After a big war-of-words erupted between Congress and BJP on Sunday following a report in foreign media claiming that Facebook igred applying its hate speech rules to politicians of ruling party in India, social media giant has issued a statement. A Facebook spokesperson on Monday said that company prohibits hate speech and content that incites violence. It added that it enforces se policies globally without regard to anyone's political position/party affiliation.

'Making progress on enforcement'

"We prohibit hate speech and content that incites violence and we enforce se policies globally without regard to anyone’s political position/party affiliation. We're making progress on enforcement and conduct regular audits of our process to ensure fairness and accuracy," spokesperson said.

BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya on Sunday said that BJP and 'wider conservative ecosystem' is t aligned to Facebook as latter removed 700 ps aligned to a nationalist narrative in run-up to Lok Sabha elections last year.

'In fact, reverse is true'

Speaking to ANI, he said, "It is ludicrous to suggest that BJP and wider conservative ecosystem is aligned to Facebook. In fact, reverse is true. In run-up to 2019 general elections, Facebook removed 700 ps. Most of m were aligned to a nationalist narrative."

" communities that y have taken down after that is also fairly large. re is redressal whatsoever. refore to suggest that Facebook is aligned to BJP is absolutely untrue," he added.

Malviya furr slammed Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi for hate speech. "As far as hate speech is concerned, Sonia Gandhi is at forefront of it. Her divisive speech led to widescale rioting, death and destruction in Delhi. If Facebook has to address hate speech, y have to start with Sonia Gandhi," he said. "What constitutes hate speech or does t is decided by India's constitutional framework and extant rules and t Congress," he added.

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'BJP & RSS control Facebook & WhatsApp': Rahul

On Sunday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused BJP and RSS of spreading "fake news" using Facebook and WhatsApp to influence electorate, triggering a sharp counter-attack from Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who reminded opposition party of Cambridge Analytica issue.

READ | BJP, 'wider conservative ecosystem' t aligned to Facebook, says Malviya; slams Sonia

'w have gall to question us?': RSP 

Congress demanded a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into charges mentioned in report, saying y threaten foundation of Indian democracy and need to be investigated.

READ | Congress hints at Parliamentary probe into Facebook's 'hate-speech policy' for BJP

In report published on Friday, US newspaper cited interviews with unnamed Facebook insiders to claim that one of its senior India policy executives intervened in internal communication to stop a permanent ban on a BJP MLA from Telangana after he allegedly made communally charged posts.

READ | Rahul Gandhi on Facebook's 'hate-speech policy' for BJP: 'Influenced electorate with it'

(With ncy inputs)