Facebook and Instagram ban Louis Farrakhan, Milo Yiannopoulos, InfoWars’ Alex Jones and other controversial figures for hate speech
- Company did not give details on what led to bans, but said Jones, Yiannopoulos and Laura Loomer had promoted Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes
- Move suggests Facebook is taking firmer stance against spread of hate speech and misinformation on its platform but is likely to draw fire from far right
Facebook Inc. said it is banning a number of controversial far-right figures, including Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopoulos and Laura Loomer, for violating the social media company’s policies on hate speech and promoting violence.
The company is also blocking religious leader Louis Farrakhan, who is known for sharing anti-Semitic views; Paul Nehlen, a white nationalist who ran for Congress in 2018; and conspiracy theorist Paul Joseph Watson.
All of these individuals and accounts that represent them are also banned from photo-sharing app Instagram.
“We’ve always banned individuals or organisations that promote or engage in violence and hate, regardless of ideology,” a Facebook representative said in a statement on Thursday. “The process for evaluating potential violators is extensive and it is what led us to our decision to remove these accounts today.”
Facebook is often chided for failing to stop the spread of harmful speech and misinformation on its platform, and Thursday’s bans show that the company is taking a firmer hand in enforcing its own service terms.