Facebook decides to ban Myanmar military chief, 19 others

Facebook is also reportedly targeting pages and accounts that pretended to provide independent news and opinion, while secretly promoting messages of Myanmar’s military.

AFP PHOTO / Oli SCARFF / REPRESENTATIONAL

New Delhi: Facebook has decided to ban Myanmar’s powerful military chief and 19 other individuals and organisations from its site to prevent the alleged spread of hate and misinformation Facebook is also reportedly targeting pages and accounts that pretended to provide independent news and opinion, while secretly promoting messages of Myanmar’s military. 18 accounts on Facebook, 52 pages and one Instagram account have come under the scanner of the company. Facebook has been accused of allowing its platform to be used for ethnic and religious conflict in the country . In a report by the Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, authorised by the United Nations Human Rights Council it was said that the extent to which Facebook posts and messages have led to real-world discrimination and violence must be independently and thoroughly examined. Facebook’s response in this area has been slow and ineffective, it said. Investigators working for the UN's top human rights body have said that Myanmar military leaders should be prosecuted for genocide against Rohingya Muslims.