In the middle of April, Facebook removed more than six Arabic-speaking atheist pages due to “violations” of Community Standards. This is not the first time that Facebook has censored atheists and freethinkers in the MENA region. In response, the Atheist Alliance – Middle-East and North Africa (AA-MENA) has decided to speak out, demanding that Facebook change the way it addresses violation reports, so as to preserve members’ freedom of speech.
In February 2016, ten of the largest Arabic-speaking atheist groups, with a total of about 100,000 members, have been deactivated for the same reason: heavy reporting campaigns that are organized by “cyber jihadist” fundamentalist Islamic groups, especially for the removal of any anti-Islamic group or page. In such coordinated campaigns, very large numbers of people, and possibly automated scripts, simultaneously file reports falsely claiming that a page, group, or personal account has violated Community Standards.
Representatives of AA-MENA petitioned Mark Zuckerberg demanding that Facebook reactivate the removed groups. The petition was shared on most major atheist groups in the Arab world, the US, and the UK, and it has been supported by many prominent social media activism organizations such as Atheist Alliance International and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain.
The oppression practiced by Arab authorities against those who speak out about religious and/or cultural taboos and dogmas has often made the headlines. The story of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi was largely covered by the world media in 2015 after he was sentenced to a thousand lashes, ten years in prison, and a fine of $266,000. The blogger’s website—which has since been shut down—contained articles that criticize the Saudi Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, which is practically a police of morals in charge of enforcing the righteous Islamic behavior in public places.
more
http://www.dhakatribune.com/world/2...-criticism-after-removing-major-atheist-pages
In February 2016, ten of the largest Arabic-speaking atheist groups, with a total of about 100,000 members, have been deactivated for the same reason: heavy reporting campaigns that are organized by “cyber jihadist” fundamentalist Islamic groups, especially for the removal of any anti-Islamic group or page. In such coordinated campaigns, very large numbers of people, and possibly automated scripts, simultaneously file reports falsely claiming that a page, group, or personal account has violated Community Standards.
Representatives of AA-MENA petitioned Mark Zuckerberg demanding that Facebook reactivate the removed groups. The petition was shared on most major atheist groups in the Arab world, the US, and the UK, and it has been supported by many prominent social media activism organizations such as Atheist Alliance International and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain.
The oppression practiced by Arab authorities against those who speak out about religious and/or cultural taboos and dogmas has often made the headlines. The story of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi was largely covered by the world media in 2015 after he was sentenced to a thousand lashes, ten years in prison, and a fine of $266,000. The blogger’s website—which has since been shut down—contained articles that criticize the Saudi Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, which is practically a police of morals in charge of enforcing the righteous Islamic behavior in public places.
more
http://www.dhakatribune.com/world/2...-criticism-after-removing-major-atheist-pages
