Facebook Under Fire For Stalling Human Rights Assessment Report On India

Facebook Under Fire For Stalling Human Rights Assessment Report On India

SUMMARY

Report that has been pending since 2020 aims to highlight the platform’s impact on human rights in India

In a letter sent to the company, earlier this month, many human rights groups including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and India Civil Watch International urged Meta to release the report

Earlier, in November, human rights groups had told the Wall Street Journal that Facebook (now Meta) was delaying its report on India

Human rights groups are calling on Meta (formerly called Facebook) to release the human rights impact assessment about hate speech on the social platform in India.

In a letter sent to the company, earlier this month, many human rights groups including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and India Civil Watch International urged Meta to release the report.

The letter stated that, “The current perception is that Facebook is not committed to respecting rights in this case. The India HRIA is an important element of Facebook’s human rights due diligence and, at a minimum, should be made public, in line with the company’s responsibility to respect human rights.”

In response, Meta’s director of human rights policy, Miranda Sissons, was quoted by Reuters as saying, “Given the complexity of this work, we want these assessments to be thorough. We will report annually on how we’re addressing human rights impacts, in line with our Human Rights Policy.”

The social media giant had commissioned the U.S-based law firm Foley Hoag to assess in 2020. The report aims to assess the social media platform’s impact on human rights in the country and investigate hate speech on its platforms.

Foley Hoag’s Partner and chair of global business and human rights practice, Gare Smith, was quoted by Reuters as saying, “Such projects are complex, particularly in a country as diverse and large as India.” He also added that the law firm had ”taken numerous steps to ensure the assessment is completed fairly and independently.”

Meta has been under intense scrutiny since whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked internal documents, in September last year, that showed the platform struggling to police problematic content. Even while the social media giant expanded globally, its efforts to combat hate content on its website seemed to have fizzled.

Earlier, in November, human rights groups had told the Wall Street Journal that Facebook (now Meta) was delaying its report on India.

This comes amidst growing clamour for crackdown on hate speech and online misinformation in India. Social media platforms like Facebook (now Meta), Twitter and WhatsApp have been in the dock for inflaming tensions and spreading misinformation on the platform, which, in many cases, have had had real-life consequences.

It is high time now that measures are put in place to ensure misinformation is identified and removed from platforms as soon as it is flagged. It could have long-reaching consequences for India in general and its people in particular.

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 Under Fire For Stalling Human Rights Assessment Report On India-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 Under Fire For Stalling Human Rights Assessment Report On India-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 Under Fire For Stalling Human Rights Assessment Report On India-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 Under Fire For Stalling Human Rights Assessment Report On India-Inc42 Media
Facebook Under Fire For Stalling Human Rights Assessment Report On India-Inc42 Media
You’re in Good company