Under pressure from lawmakers and rights groups to check extremism on its platform, Facebook is testing an alert that asks users whether they think their friends are becoming extremists. Facebook confirmed the test after social media users posted screenshots of such alerts on Twitter.
“Are you concerned that someone you know is becoming an extremist?” reads the screenshot of a pop-up notice from Facebook. Another alert warning the users said, “you may have been exposed to harmful extremist content recently.” Both alerts included links to “Get Support”.
Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone said in a Twitter exchange that the alerts were a part of the company’s Redirect Initiative to combat violent extremism by redirecting hate and violence-related search terms towards resources, education, and outreach groups that can help. The social media giant said that the company is running a small test in the United States as a pilot for a global approach to prevent radicalisation.
“This test is part of our larger work to assess ways to provide resources and support to people on Facebook who may have engaged with or were exposed to extremist content, or may know someone who is at risk,” news agency Reuters quoted a Facebook spokesperson as saying. “We are partnering with NGOs and academic experts in this space and hope to have more to share in the future,” the spokesperson added.
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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been questioned multiple times during US Congressional hearings over the company’s actions to combat extremism on its platforms, especially after January 6 riots when supporters of former president Donald Trump entered the Capitol and tried to stop the Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election.
Through the test, Facebook was identifying both users who may have been exposed to extremist content and users who had previously been the subject of Facebook’s enforcement, the company said.
The Redirect Initiative is based on Facebook’s “Get Help” search based modules in combination with the Redirect Method, evolved to fit Facebook and Instagram. When Facebook users search for terms related to white supremacy in the US, results are directed to ‘Life After Hate’, an organisation founded by former violent extremists that provide crisis intervention, education, support groups, and outreach.
(With agency inputs)
