Described As A Meaningless Obfuscation, Facebook’s Claim Does Not Hold Up To Reality

Since Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in April to Congress, the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) has repeatedly called out the company for its overly optimistic and misleading claim that 99 percent of ISIS and Al Qaeda content is removed from the platform.  And now, other voices have also followed suit.  Speaking to The Washington Times, Cato Institute Senior Fellow Julian Sanchez stated that it should be questioned “how meaningful the figure is.”  Brennan Center for Justice’s Faiza Patel echoed those sentiments, saying “given the universe of content, and what we don’t know about it, that doesn’t tell you much.”

Ninety-nine percent means nothing when Facebook has an estimated 2.2 billion active users on a daily basis.  Even one percent is unacceptable, especially because extremist content is so often used to radicalize others online and risk innocent lives.  Last Thursday, The Daily Express reported numerous instances of “sickening videos showing beheadings, shootings and bombings carried out by jihadist executioners.”  Further, extremist content on Facebook is not limited to ISIS.  Facebook-owned Instagram was found to have hosted a neo-Nazi clothing brand on the platform.  The company only took down the account after it was notified by The Huffington Post – despite repeated warnings that it was violating content rules by inciting violence.

CEP has also continuously found instances of online extremism that exist on Facebook, many of which depict graphic and violent acts of death.  One video titled “Shield of the Cross” has been online for two years, viewed over 3,000 times and shows two captured Turkish soldiers being burned alive.  Another, a fan-made propaganda video accompanying the ISIS nasheed “Dawlati Baqiya,” includes footage of combat between ISIS and unidentified forces, the display of severed heads and the executions of two crucified prisoners – one with a pistol and the other with a knife.

To read more about this issue and see the aforementioned examples, as well as other examples of extremist content, please see the background below.

EXTREMIST FACEBOOK CONTENT

1. ISIS Video Showing Turkish Soldiers Burning To Death On Facebook For Two Years

• Located on Facebook: August 15, 2018
• Time on Facebook: Approximately two years
• Views: 3,100+, 30 likes/reacts and 42 shares
• URL: Link
• Description: The ISIS video “Shield of the Cross,” originally released in December 2016.  The video shows combat in Syria, including several vehicle borne suicide bombers.  The video concludes with a call for attacks in Turkey and the burning to death of two captured Turkish soldiers.

1. ISIS Propaganda Nasheed Video That Includes Footage Of Corpses And Suicide Bombings

• Located on Facebook: August 15, 2018
• Time on Facebook: 14 hours
• Views: 46, 27 likes/reacts and seven shares
• URL: Link
• Description: A fan made propaganda video accompanying the ISIS nasheed “Dawlati Baqiya” (My State Remains).  The video includes footage of burned corpses and beheaded bodies, as well as vehicle borne suicide bombings and footage taken from several official ISIS videos.

1. ISIS Propaganda Nasheed Video That Includes Footage Of Executions

• Located on Facebook: August 15, 2018
• Time on Facebook: Eight hours
• Views: 36, 32 likes/reacts and seven shares
• URL: Link
• Description: A fan made propaganda video accompanying the ISIS nasheed “Dawlati Baqiya” (My State Remains).  Please note that this video is different than the video listed above.  The video includes footage of combat between ISIS and unidentified forces, the display of severed heads, and the executions of two crucified prisoners, one with a pistol and the other with a knife.  The video was accompanied by Indonesian subtitles.

BACKGROUND

Cato Institute Senior Fellow Julian Sanchez: “[Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s] Saying That Of The Content They Ultimately Take Down, 99 Percent Is Caught By Their Algorithms Rather Than Being Flagged By Human Beings.  Now, I Assume That This Is Technically True.  But That’s Not The Same As Saying Their Algorithms Are So Good They Accurately Identify ISIS And Al Qaeda Content, And I Think The Focus On Those Two Groups – As Opposed To Jihadist Or ‘Violent Extremist’ Content – Generally Should Make Us Question How Meaningful The Figure Is.” (James Varney, “How Zuckerberg Can Keep Straight Face With Claim Facebook Flags 99% Of Terrorist Content,” The Washington Times, 8/14/18)

Brennan Center For Justice Co-Director Faiza Patel: “That’s A Carefully Phrased Statement, And That’s The Figure They’ve Been Saying All Over The World Since The Beginning Of The Year.  But Given The Universe Of Content, And What We Don’t Know About It, That Doesn’t Tell You Much.” (James Varney, “How Zuckerberg Can Keep Straight Face With Claim Facebook Flags 99% Of Terrorist Content,” The Washington Times, 8/14/18)

Competitive Enterprise Institute Research Fellow Ryan Radia: “I Agree It Doesn’t Tell You As Much As It Appears.  I Mean, What Is The Sample Size?  For All We Know, Half Of It Could Still Be Appearing And We’re Only Talking About That Percentage Of What’s Removed That Artificial Intelligence Intercepts.” (James Varney, “How Zuckerberg Can Keep Straight Face With Claim Facebook Flags 99% Of Terrorist Content,” The Washington Times, 8/14/18)

“The Daily Express Was Able To Access A Catalogue Of Sickening Videos Showing Beheadings, Shootings And Bombings Carried Out By Jihadist Executioners.” “FACEBOOK is still broadcasting sickening terror videos of jihadists torturing and executing prisoners, a Daily Express investigation reveals today.  The material is at risk of radicalising young men and women in the UK and could inspire fresh terror attacks.  The internet giant was failing to prevent the spread of hate-filled propaganda, a counter extremism group said.  Yesterday the Daily Express was able to access a catalogue of sickening videos showing beheadings, shootings and bombings carried out by jihadist executioners.  Some had been online for months and viewed thousands of times.  Others had been uploaded in the past fortnight but all were available to be shared publicly despite a supposed crackdown on radical extremism. It included the notorious video of British-educated Mohammed Emwazi, also known as ‘Jihadi John’.  He is seen triumphantly clutching the severed head of American aid worker Peter Kassig.” (Giles Sheldrick, “Disgusting And Sickening...The IS Terror Videos That Thousands See On Facebook,” Daily Express, 8/9/18)

Facebook-Owned Instagram Took Down A Neo-Nazi Store Only After It Was Notified By The Huffington Post. “A violent white supremacist group ran a clothing brand through an Instagram account, where it also promoted other neo-Nazi clothing labels and celebrated fascist political parties.  The page existed for months and was not taken down even after it was flagged for violating content rules.  Instagram only removed the account on Monday after HuffPost contacted a spokesperson for comment.  Southern California-based Right Brand Clothing describes itself as a ‘nationalist apparel company’ and gained over 2,000 followers on Instagram after launching earlier this year.  The brand is part of the Rise Above Movement, an openly racist activist group that attends far-right marches in order to fight counter protesters ― including at the infamous ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last year.  The Rise Above Movement, or RAM, has uploaded videos on social media showing its members inciting violence at such rallies and attacking counter-demonstrators, as well as marching with signs calling refugees rapists and alleging a global Jewish conspiracy.  The group counts Nazi skinhead gang members and men convicted of violent crimes among its members.  Founder Robert Rundo, now 27, pleaded guilty to gang assault charges in 2009 after he and several friends chased down and repeatedly stabbed two Latino men.” (Nick Robins-Early, “Instagram Let A Violent White Supremacist Group Promote Their Clothing Brand,” HuffPost, 8/14/18)