Following the news that Meta is being sued in a legal case alleging that Facebook’s algorithm helped fuel and incite violence in the Ethiopian civil war, which is claimed to have contributed to the death of university professor Meareg Amare Abrha after identifying information was allegedly revealed about him on Facebook;
Emma Taylor, Associate Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers her view:
“This case, along with the Molly Russell inquest, highlights the increasing concerns of lawmakers and the public in the role social media posts can have in jepordizing our safety and mental and physical wellbeing in the real world. These early cases may be the foundations for real legislative accountability for platforms that fail to stop the rapid spread of hate and misinformation.
“The moderation of social media is contentious, especially now that Elon Musk is deregulating Twitter. There is a growing argument that social media platforms are unable to regulate themselves, and retrospective fines from federal bodies are not enough to deliver change. Moreover, social media platforms transcend borders, muddying the legal waters as different rules apply in different countries.”
Sarah Coop, Analyst at GlobalData, offers her view:
“Meta can no longer rely on limited policies to protect people against hate online. These algorithms can create dangerous online echo chambers, recommending content to susceptible users. Online activity can translate into dangerous situations in the real world, and AI algorithms and online content moderation need stringent regulation to protect users.
“Social-media companies have a responsibility to employ moderators with expertise in local languages to protect users in all jurisdictions and any that are unable to do this, it should not operate in that country.”
