BSR’s report also examines the complex social and political context in Myanmar, which includes a population that has fast come online, a legal framework that does not reflect universal human rights principles, and cultural, religious, and ethnic tension. Facebook had no immediate comment on the criticism on Monday, although in the past the company has said that it was working to remove hate speech in Myanmar and ban the people spreading it. We also continue to invest in partnerships aimed at improving digital and media literacy in Myanmar. ... A UN report in 2018 had found Facebook to be "slow and ineffective" in ⦠Facebook has been blamed by UN investigators for playing a leading role in possible genocide in Myanmar by spreading hate speech. HRCHTMLField1. We agree with BSR on the value of publishing more data on our enforcement efforts in Myanmar. It involved interviews with 60 rightsholders and stakeholders in Myanmar, as well as interviews with relevant Facebook employees. Myanmar Language (PDF) Audio Rohingya language (Abridged version, in case of discrepancy, the English version shall prevail) . By limiting visibility in this way, we hope to mitigate against the risk of offline harm and violence. Update on August 26, 2020 at 12:30AM MMT: Facebook stands against hate and violence, including in Myanmar, and supports justice for international crimes. We are independently assessed on our implementation of the GNI Principles on a biennial basis, with our latest assessment underway. Government Organization. “It has … substantively contributed to the level of acrimony and dissension and conflict, if you will, within the public. Facebook for Government, Politics and Advocacy, News, Media and Publishing Facebook Group, UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, improved proactive detection of hate speech, more aggressive action on networks of accounts, An Update on Facebook’s Human Rights Work in Asia and Around the World, Introducing Private and Secure WhatsApp Calling on Desktop. Join Facebook to connect with Un Myanmar and others you may know. We will continue to make progress in this area, and fully support the country’s transition to Unicode. UN: At least 18 killed by Myanmar forces in several cities. The Rohingya genocide is a series of ongoing persecutions by the Myanmar (formerly Burmese) government of the Muslim Rohingya people.The genocide has consisted of two phases to date: the first was a military crackdown that occurred from October 2016 to January 2017, and the second has been occurring since August 2017. We encourage everyone interested in the human rights situation in Myanmar to read the report in full, and we look forward to updates from Facebook in the future on its progress implementing the recommendations. We have now hired and onboarded 99 of these reviewers. The UN report said that for most users in Myanmar "Facebook is the internet" but that it had become a "useful instrument for those seeking to spread hate". UN investigators say Facebook is a huge part of public, civil and private life in Myanmar. "Facebook appears to have double standards," said Farmaner bluntly. “It was used to convey public messages but we know that the ultra-nationalist Buddhists have their own Facebooks and are really inciting a lot of violence and a lot of hatred against the Rohingya or other ethnic minorities,” she said. Book. The previously unreported actions by Myanmarâs military on Facebook are among the first examples of an authoritarian governmentâs using the social network against its own people. We agree that we can and should do more. On the enforcement side, we have improved proactive detection of hate speech in Myanmar, and are taking more aggressive action on networks of accounts that are set up to mislead others about who they are, or what they’re doing. 3 A BRIEF AND INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN MYANMAR FROM 2010 TO 2018 1. Our platform is used extensively to advance human rights causes around the world, which is why we believe universal availability of our services and upholding our Community Standards is paramount. Facebook’s mission is to help people build community and to bring the world closer together, which is clearly aligned with legislative and national settings in which human rights are respected. These areas include building on existing governance and accountability structures, improving enforcement of content policies, increasing engagement with local stakeholders, advocating for regulatory reform and preparing for the future. Prepare for and Mitigate Risk Related to Future Developments in Myanmar. Book. During the recent by-elections we put in place a risk mitigation plan which included additional Community Operations support, proactive work to monitor key events and elections-related content, the takedown of impersonating Pages, and the removal of credible threats to politicians and political Pages that violated our ads policy on hate speech. United Nations: India engaged constructively and acted as an "important bridge" during deliberations over the UN Security Council's statement on the situation in Myanmar⦠Facebook is the internet for many in Myanmar Facebook has said it agrees with a report that found it had failed to prevent its platform being used to "incite offline violence" in Myanmar. We know we need to do more to ensure we are a force for good in Myanmar, and in other countries facing their own crises. We’re working with the UN’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, which has a mandate to collect evidence with appropriate safeguards in place, and assist accountability efforts. H owever, UN Myanmar investigator Yanghee Lee charged that Facebook was a huge part of public, civil and private life, and that the government used it to relay information to the public. Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar urged the international community on Monday to sever ties with Myanmarâs military and the vast web of companies it controls and relies on. Our policies regarding what is and is not allowed on our platform are developed with an eye towards international human rights principles, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. By clicking or navigating the site, you agree to allow our collection of information on and off Facebook through cookies. Protesters shout slogans as police arrive during a protest against the military coup in Mandalay, Myanmar, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021. Our dedicated product, engineering, partnerships and policy teams will continue to work on issues specific to Myanmar, and to address a diverse set of challenges. And we are working closely with independent publishers in Myanmar to help build capacity and resources in their online newsrooms, laying the groundwork for them to build a sustainable business on the platform if they choose to do so. This lack of a single standard poses some very real technical challenges for us and others. Core to this process is continued development of a team that understands the local Myanmar context and includes policy, product, and operations expertise. This team is making a difference, improving the development and enforcement of our policies. What was in the UN report? As part of that commitment, we commissioned an independent human rights impact assessment on the role of our services in Myanmar and today we are publishing the findings. Here is an update on our work to address each of the five key areas BSR identified: Governance and Accountability at Facebook. In March 2017, the United Nations Human Rights Council established the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar (IIFFMM) to establish the facts and circumstances of the alleged human rights violations by military and security forces, and abuses, in Myanmar. We also just extended the use of artificial intelligence to posts that contain graphic violence and comments that are violent and dehumanizing, and will reduce their distribution while they undergo review by our Community Operations team. UN Volunteers Myanmar. The HRIA was funded by Facebook, though BSR retained editorial control of its contents. We also plan to reduce the distribution of individual posts from people and Pages in Myanmar who post content that is spammy or sensational, thereby promoting more meaningful and authentic conversations on Facebook. We’re also working to hire additional human rights specialists to strengthen engagement with and solicit input from NGOs, academia, and international organizations. Myanmar's UN Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun has been fired, state television said on Saturday, a day after he urged the United Nations to use "any means necessary" to ⦠The report was made possible thanks to the many stakeholders and rightsholders in Myanmar who participated in the assessment process. 1 of 15. Facebook has not acted on Burma Campaign UK requests to remove these pages, despite a United Nations report detailing how military owned companies help fund violations of international law. As the BSR report notes, we have made progress towards many of the recommendations put forth in the report, but there is more to do. The art of protest in Myanmar â and its wanted list. gallery-arrow. UN investigator says Facebook has not shared âevidenceâ ⦠To help personalize content, tailor and measure ads, and provide a safer experience, we use cookies. Learn more, including about available controls: Cookies Policy. As a member of the Global Network Initiative, we’re committed to upholding the human rights standards set out in the GNI Principles and Implementation Guidelines. In this environment, the BSR report explains, Facebook alone cannot bring about the broad changes needed to address the human rights situation in Myanmar. As these investigations proceed, we will continue to coordinate with them to provide relevant information as they investigate international crimes in Myanmar. The reportâs criticisms of Facebook reveal how social media has been exploited to spread hate speech, making the problem exponentially worse. BSR acknowledges that human rights issues in Myanmar cannot be addressed by Facebook alone, and instead requires broader, more systemic change. As the report recognizes, we are committed to working with and providing information to the relevant authorities as they investigate international human rights violations in Myanmar, and we are preserving data for this purpose, including content on the accounts and Pages we removed in August and October. We engage in conversations around the world related to existing and proposed laws and regulations to promote human rights and responsible use of technology and online services, both as a company and as part of industry associations. This content isn't available right now When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted. The UN mission didnât have access to Myanmar for the report, and relied on hundreds of eyewitness interviews, satellite imagery, photographs and videos for fact-finding.