Facebook Won’t Ban Holocaust Denial Groups [View All]

[Purveyor]

May 10, 2009

SYDNEY, Australia (JTA) -- Facebook, the popular social networking Web site, will only ban groups that deny the Holocaust in countries where it is a criminal offense.

Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt said that although the organization does “abhor Nazi ideals and find Holocaust denial repulsive,” the popular social networking Web site believes that people have a right to discuss these ideas, CNN reported Friday.

“We want Facebook to be a place where ideas, even controversial ideas, can be discussed,” Schnitt said.

Facebook wants “to strike a very delicate balance between giving users the freedom to express their opinions and beliefs -- even those that are controversial or that we may find repulsive -- while also ensuring that individuals and groups of people do not feel threatened or endangered,” he added.

Schnitt said that in countries where Holocaust denial is illegal, such as Germany and Israel, users would be denied access.

Groups currently on Facebook include “Holocaust: A series of lies,” “Holocaust is a Holohoax” and “Holocaust is a myth."

MORE...

JTA: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/05/10/1005046/facebook-wont-ban-holocaust-denial-groups