‘Security Concerns’ Prevented Meta From Releasing Full Report On Hate-Speech In India: Report

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp-parent Meta has privately told human rights groups that security concerns prevented the company from disclosing the full contents of its India’s hate speech investigative study. 

According to audio recordings heard by The Wall Street Journal, Meta executives told Indian human rights activists that they wanted to ‘be able to publish more’ and a decision was taken ‘at the highest levels of the company’ citing security reasons.

In July 2022, Meta released its first human rights assessment report – an 80+ page report, including a disappointing general assessment of the Indian populace (its largest market). 

The revelation comes shortly after human rights activists from India stated that Meta was not being transparent in its human-rights efforts. They had claimed that Meta was not undertaking the responsibility seriously and may have ‘buried the findings’.

Previously, too, WSJ has reported certain internal findings that suggested Facebook users in India were using the platform to spread religious hatred. This point was not covered by the Meta human rights report as India’s HRIA report was not in its entirety. 

“Meta doesn’t plan to release it [the human rights study] in its entirety,” a Meta executive had been previously cited saying.

For its India assessment, the US-based technology giant cited issues including restrictions on freedom of expression and information, and third-party advocacy of hatred inciting ‘hostility, discrimination or violence’. 

It also stated that there were risks involved in violations of rights to privacy and the security of individuals in the country. 

The increasing pace of digitalisation and social media has reduced the global boundaries with people being able to interact with even complete strangers. Meta-owned Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are among the top social media platforms with the maximum user base.

Naturally, when political and religious opinions clash, heated social media debates ensue. But, in the past few years, this has translated into physical controversies, such as the Republic Day protest that quickly turned into a violent event in India in 2021, or the Capitol Hill violence in January 2021.

Internal findings of Meta have shown that posts and messages on the above-mentioned three platforms were aplenty and are directly linked to multiple religious riots in the country.

At some points, Meta has been accused of anti-competition practices, turning a blind eye toward hate speech, misinformation and propaganda in the country and having tied the ruling party of the country.

The human rights report was published to check how Meta was responding to prevent such groupings and how accountable it is when it comes to preventing hate speech, misuse of information and privacy of individuals. 

The company’s responses to these incidents have been weak, many analysts and activists have suggested.