Facebook's decision to gag Kashmir-related posts reeks of hypocrisy
Facebook, the biggest social media networking site in the world, has always touted itself to be a liberal platform, with an aim to be the mouthpiece of more than a billion users. The platform, since its inception in 2004, has come a long way; from a paltry site connecting people virtually to being one of the most influential all-inclusive platforms present today.
Time and again, the virtual platform has helped people in distress; its safety button for disasters, support for freedom of expression, and desire to help people articulate their opinions are few reasons for the company’s colossal fame. This ‘fame’ has dragged them out of 'messy situations' on numerous counts.
However, as an Indian citizen, I cannot excuse Facebook this time; not after its hypocritical treatment of the on-going Kashmir fiasco where it has been accused of blocking the accounts and posts of many Indians (especially Kashmiris) who put up statuses to inform the rest of the country about the grave unrest there.
Read: Facebook faces heat for censoring posts on Kashmir unrest
It all started after the Indian Army encountered 22-year-old Burhan Wani, who was a former commander of Kashmiri separatist group Hizbul Mujahideen. Right after the ‘killing’ of the young commander, people in Kashmir started protesting incessantly, claiming that he was only fighting a 7-decade long cause.
As most newspapers, media outlets, and mobile phone networks were blocked in the curfew-imposed valley, people took the aid of social media to get the news across.
Not only people from the region but social activists, journalists, noble laureates, and commoners residing in numerous parts of the country and even abroad started posting their views about the issue on Facebook. Shockingly, the social media site, without any explanation, went on blocking their comments and profiles.
Extremism and free speech not the same
While some of the Kashmir-related posts doing rounds on the social media platform were not ‘pleasing to the eye’, most others were just moderate views on the issue, written to curb the conflict. So what did Facebook do? It censored many posts by individuals who spoke compassionately about the episode, claiming that the posts were against their community standards.
On the contrary, there are myriad posts regarding rape, hate speech, and lewd pictures that Facebook so gleefully allows on its platform regularly. It saddens me that the principal social media platform in the world practices biasness at this level.
Kavita Krishnan, Secretary of the All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA), has also deeply criticised the platform for blocking comments on the issue.
Expressing grave disappointment, Krishnan, in a post said: “Facebook by censoring Kashmiri accounts is contributing to the deliberate information blockade - so that the war on Kashmir can be a dirty war without witnesses.”
Moreover, she accused the platform of taking down posts by her related to other serious political issues. On the other hand, when she posted regarding potential rape threats, Facebook did not bother to take them down.
While this is just one occurrence, there have been several incidents in the past where Facebook decided to block users or take down posts that raised social concerns.
Double standards
Facebook Chief Mark Zuckerberg has always come across as a liberal, extending support toward myriad controversial issues; however, it seems that his platform doesn’t know what ‘freedom of expression’ means. On many occasions, liberal views have always been negated by the platform, and that too, without any logic.
If Zuckerberg believes in liberal views, why doesn’t the platform let users in distress speak out when the need is paramount? It so pompously boasts of connecting people in areas where there are no mobile networks, but at the same time it censors posts of people who are trying to describe a condition of emergency in a particular region?
With reportage on the Kashmir unrest crossing national boundaries, the graveness of the issue is not shrouded anymore; it’s a shame that Facebook decided to block users and comments even after knowing the situation in the valley.
Considering the paramount importance that social media platforms hold in our life, this censorship issue raises a calamitous concern; one that curbs right to free speech. It’s high time the platform learns to differentiate between derogatory remarks and freedom to express on significant issues.
