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The Wall Street Journal through its report has attempted to expose and raise several questions over the ties between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Mark Zuckerberg led social media platform Facebook.
In what was expected to follow next, opposition party Congress wasting no time attacked BJP and even demanded a probe. What further brewed the air was a complaint filed by a top South Asia executive of Facebook alleging threat to her life and sexually offensive comments after being allegedly responsible for the decision to favour the right wing.
Here's A Detailed Timeline Of Events That Took Place In The Facebook 'Hate Speech' Controversy:
WSJ Writes: "Facebook Hate-Speech Rules Collide With Indian Politics"
A US based newspaper publication Wall Street Journal on Friday published a report titled "Facebook Hate-Speech Rules Collide With Indian Politics: Company executive opposed move to ban controversial politician", alleging that Facebook favoured India's ruling party BJP to influence the electorate by deliberately ignoring 'hate -speech' content from right-wing leaders.
The report even cited interviews with unnamed Facebook insiders to claim that one of its senior India policy executives intervened in internal communication to stop a permanent ban on a BJP MLA from Telangana after he allegedly made communally charged posts. It mentioned about Telangana MP T Raja Singh who in his Facebook posts allegedly said: "Rohingya Muslim immigrants should be shot, called Muslims traitors and threatened to raze mosques."
The article claimed that Facebook's top executive in India - Ankhi Das allegedly opposed the application of hate-speech rules to members of the ruling BJP.
Congress' Rahul Gandhi Kicks In Opportunity, Accuses BJP Of 'Spreading Fake News'
Based on the Wall Street Journal report, Congress party on Sunday accused the BJP and RSS of controlling social media sites Facebook and WhatsApp in India. Alleging that BJP and its parent organisation RSS have attacked democracy in the country, the grand old party demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into alleged violations by the social media platform and its messaging service.
Tagging the Wall Street Journal report on the issue, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted: "BJP and RSS control Facebook and WhatsApp in India. They spread fake news and hatred through it and use it to influence the electorate. Finally, the American media has come out with the truth about Facebook."
Other top leader of the party including Randeep Singh Surjewala and former Union Minister Ajay Maken also thrashed the ruling party as well as the Facebook, and said that "a probe is necessary into the commercial dealings, propagation of hate content, and connection of Facebook and WhatsApp employees with the BJP."
The Congress said that the government too should clarify the "quid pro quo" with WhatsApp and Facebook and what type of business dealings they had with the government.
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BJP In Its Counter-Attack Reminds Congress Of 'Cambridge Analytica Issues'
Responding to the harsh attacks made by opposition parties, BJP in its counter-attack reminded the Congress party of the Cambridge Analytica issue. Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad through his tweet said: "You were caught red-handed in alliance with Cambridge Analytica & Facebook to weaponise data before the elections & now have the gall to question us?
Facebook Responds, "We Prohibit Hate Speech"
A Facebook spokesperson meanwhile issued a defending statement saying, "We prohibit hate speech and content that incites violence and we enforce these policies globally without regard to anyone's political position or party affiliation. While we know there is more to do, we're making progress on enforcement and conduct regular audits of our process to ensure fairness and accuracy."
Top Facebook Executive Files FIR In Delhi Fearing Life Over Hate Speech Row
While on one hand political parties locked horns in the blame game, a top South Asia executive of Facebook named Ankhi Das filed an FIR with the Cyber Cell Unit of Delhi Police over alleged threat to her life and sexually offensive comments.
According to the reports, the FIR has named five people including a woman, active on Twitter. The top executive at the social media platform hinted several people affiliated with a particular political party have targeted her following the article published in WSJ.
According to the Wall Street report, Das had opposed action against hateful posts on social media and favoured several political leaders associated with the BJP and other nationalist individuals and groups over concerns that it would damage the company’s prospects in the country.