NGOs urge Facebook to address hate speech against LGBTQI+ community in the MENA region

22 LGBTQI+ rights associations sent Facebook an open letter about the increase of hate speech against the LGBTQI+ community. «We pledge the Facebook administration in the MENA region to halt the use of its platform for spreading bigotry and hate, especially among the Arabic speaking users», read the letter.

The signatories argued that «social media is being used as a tool to share hatred, bullying, discrimination and violence, particularly by those with homophobia launching intense campaigns of intimidation, threat and blackmailing».

The 22 associations, including three ones based in Morocco, revealed that «although the MENA LGBTQI+ community has been reporting thousands of Arabic hate speech posts targeting women in general, and people of different sexual orientations in particular--most of these reports were declined because the content did not contradict the Facebook community standards».

Thus, signatories have urged Facebook to consider the issue at hand activate a mechanism to individually investigate all cases of hate speech, apply the same policies applied by the administration for the safety of the LGBTQI+ worldwide, and that hate speech is being monitored, addressed and taken strict measures against.