Prominent campaigner against online extremism describes Facebook as the ‘800-pound gorilla in the radicalisation market’
A new British regulator needs tough powers to independently audit social media companies to uncover what steps they have taken to halt the spread of misinformation and hate, according to a leading investigator of online extremism.
Imran Ahmed, the founder of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, told British MPs that social media companies had failed three major tests on preventing the spread of political disinformation in the US, tackling anti-vaxxers and stopping death threats and abuse against black sportsmen.
The UK's proposed Online Safety Bill, described as the most ambitious legislation of its kind anywhere in the world, aims to regulate companies like Facebook and Twitter and fine them for breaching the duty of care to users.
But Mr Ahmed told MPs scrutinising the legislation that the regulator would not have enough powers under the proposals to probe the actions and policies of companies such as Facebook, which had failed to adequately respond to earlier episodes of abuse.
“Social media companies are incapable of regulating themselves,” Mr Ahmed said. “Whenever they are given the chance, they put profit before people.
“There are right now people gurgling for breath in ICUs [intensive care units] in the UK and the rest of the world who are telling their doctors: ‘I saw this on Facebook - I believe it to be true — I thought the vaccine would...
Read Full Story: https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2021/09/09/social-media-abuses-protected-by-most-powerful-lobbying-machine-in-history/
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