DRAGNET: Facebook Pledges To Ban Users Who Share Infowars Videos Without Condemning Them
Tom Pappert
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After banning Alex Jones, Paul Joseph Watson, Milo Yiannopoulos and others from Facebook and Instagram today, the big tech platform explained to Big League Politics that any user who posts Infowars videos or content without condemning it may also be subject to a ban.
Big League Politics contacted Facebook in an attempt to gain clarification after two different media outlets published conflicting reports about the future of Infowars’ content on the big tech platform. The Verge reported that users could continue to post content and commentary complimentary toward Infowars, while The Atlantic reported that any users posting Infowars content would see it removed and possibly face a ban.
In an attempt to clarify its stance, Facebook told Big League Politics that the platform will let users make posts complimentary about Infowars or reflecting them in a positive nature, but will not allow users to post links to Infowars videos, unless they are doing so to condemn the content.
This would seem to mean that simply linking to the Infowars website is now prohibited, as virtually every article includes videos featuring Jones, and a live stream or replay of the most recent episode of “The Alex Jones Show” is featured on the sidebar of the Infowars website.
In a statement from Facebook Policy Communications Manager Sarah Pollack, she told Big League Politics that today’s decision was made after an extensive period of examining whether the platform considers Jones to “promote or engage in violence and hate,” and told Big League Politics that its “process for evaluating potential violators is extensive” and it culminated in the actions taken today.
The decision was made, in part, because Jones interviewed writer and media personality Gavin McInnes, who founded the Proud Boys and co-founded VICE News, on his platform twice after Facebook designated McInnes a hate figure.
While Facebook says it does not use the Southern Poverty Law Center to determine who is a “hate figure,” it is worth mentioning that McInnes is currently suing the SPLC for its decision to name him as a “hate figure” on its website. Several prominent persons in the SPLC have resigned from their positions as the lawsuit unfolds.
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