Facebook India Public Policy Head Ankhi Das Apologises To Employees For Derogatory Post

Facebook India Public Policy Head Ankhi Das Apologises To Employees For Derogatory Post

SUMMARY

Facebook India’s public policy director Ankhi Das has apologised internally to the company’s Muslim employees for the post

Das’s apology is in relation to a post on Facebook last year which labelled Muslims as a “degenerate community”

The contentious post was first written by a former police officer in response to the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests 2019

Ankhi Das, director of Public Policy for Facebook India, South and Central Asia, has reportedly apologised to Muslim employees in the company at a town hall meeting for a post last year which labelled Muslims as a “degenerate community”. 

The post also said that for Muslims, “nothing except the purity of religion and implementation of Shariah matter.” Das has also deleted the said post from her account. 

“Dear friends – The intent of my personal Facebook post was not to denigrate Islam. It was to reflect my deep belief in celebrating feminism and civic participation. I value all perspectives I have heard over the past days about how the post was received and as a result, I have deleted the post. I genuinely regret any hurt it may have caused, including to my Muslim colleagues in the company,” Das wrote in an internal message to employees, which was obtained by Buzzfeed News

The contentious post was shared by Das in late 2019 and was written by a former Indian police officer in response to the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests which had broken out in the country that time. 

Facebook India has been at the receiving end of severe scrutiny, after a Wall Street Journal story, titled, ‘Facebook’s Hate-Speech Rules Collide With Indian Politics’, revealed how Das, opted against removing incendiary posts from politicians of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to seek favours for the platform from the Indian government. Since the story broke, Facebook has been criticised by Indian opposition. 

While the Indian National Congress (INC) wrote a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanding a high-level inquiry into the allegations, the peace and harmony committee of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, dominated by members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have initiated a probe into the hateful content on Facebook which allegedly fuelled discontent during the Delhi riots in February this year. 

According to a Reuters report, employees of Facebook wrote an internal letter to the company’s leadership team, calling on them to denounce “anti-Muslim bigotry” and ensure more policy consistency. The letter also demanded that Facebook’s policy teams everywhere include a diverse representation.

You have reached your limit of free stories
Become An Inc42 Plus Member

Become a Startup Insider in 2024 with Inc42 Plus. Join our exclusive community of 10,000+ founders, investors & operators and stay ahead in India’s startup & business economy.

2 YEAR PLAN
₹19999
₹7999
₹333/Month
Unlock 60% OFF
Cancel Anytime
1 YEAR PLAN
₹9999
₹4999
₹416/Month
Unlock 50% OFF
Cancel Anytime
Already A Member?
Discover Startups & Business Models

Unleash your potential by exploring unlimited articles, trackers, and playbooks. Identify the hottest startup deals, supercharge your innovation projects, and stay updated with expert curation.

Facebook India Public Policy Head Ankhi Das Apologises To Employees For Derogatory Post-Inc42 Media
How-To’s on Starting & Scaling Up

Empower yourself with comprehensive playbooks, expert analysis, and invaluable insights. Learn to validate ideas, acquire customers, secure funding, and navigate the journey to startup success.

Facebook India Public Policy Head Ankhi Das Apologises To Employees For Derogatory Post-Inc42 Media
Identify Trends & New Markets

Access 75+ in-depth reports on frontier industries. Gain exclusive market intelligence, understand market landscapes, and decode emerging trends to make informed decisions.

Facebook India Public Policy Head Ankhi Das Apologises To Employees For Derogatory Post-Inc42 Media
Track & Decode the Investment Landscape

Stay ahead with startup and funding trackers. Analyse investment strategies, profile successful investors, and keep track of upcoming funds, accelerators, and more.

Facebook India Public Policy Head Ankhi Das Apologises To Employees For Derogatory Post-Inc42 Media
Facebook India Public Policy Head Ankhi Das Apologises To Employees For Derogatory Post-Inc42 Media
You’re in Good company