We don't remove content for being false: Facebook
San Francisco, Aug 10 : Even as the world painfully takes notes of dangers of fake news spread on social media platforms, Facebook has said that it does not remove content simply for being false.
While the social network platform has in place rules against hate speech and takes personal attacks seriously, false content does not face censorship on its platform, Monika Bickert, Facebook's Head of Global Policy Management said on Thursday while participating in "Hard Questions", a series that explores the most challenging issues Facebook confronts.
"We don't allow hate speech on Facebook because it creates an environment where people feel personally attacked, where they won't feel comfortable coming and sharing themselves," Bickert said.
"The one thing that we don't remove is where someone simply asserts something false," she said, adding that Facebook tries to counter the virality of such content or tries to promote or make visible other views.
"Even if it is a horrible assertion of falsity, whether it's about the Holocaust or any other world even, we don't remove content simply for being false," Bickert added.
The statement bears significance at a time when rumours on social media platforms have been linked to real world violence in several countries, including India.
Facebook, Bickert said, also considers local regulations while blocking content on the platform.
"And we also block the speech where countries have told us, 'this is illegal in our country', then we will remove that speech in that country alone," she said.
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Ramzan fasts to begin in India from Thursday
New Delhi (PTI): Ramzan fasts will begin on Thursday in India as the crescent moon marking the start of the fasting month was sighted in various parts of the country on Wednesday.
After the sighting of the moon, the holy month begins and for the next 30 days, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
Shahi Imam of Chandni Chowk's Fatehpuri mosque Maulana Mufti Mukarram Ahmed announced that the crescent moon was sighted and the month of fasting will start from February 19.
Naib Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Shaban Bukhari also declared that the moon was sighted.
During this month, a special prayer called Taraweeh are offered in mosques in the evening. In this prayer, the entire Quran is recited and it continues till the sighting of the Eid moon.
Mufti Mukarram has appealed to the Muslim community to "pray as much as possible for the well-being of the 140 crore people of the country".
