facebook is a hotbed of conspiracy theories and dangerous organizing at critical moments, such as the more than 650,000 posts arguing against President Biden's victory between the 2020 general election and the January 6 insurrection. Some users dispersed after this latest and subsequent prosecutions, but a new report facebook/” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank” data-ylk=”slk:first published by Wired;elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:2;pos:1;itc:0;sec:content-canvas”>first published by cabling shows a resurgence, identifying around 200 groups and profiles across the platform that organizes militia activity across the country.
The research, carried out by the tech Transparency Project;cpos:3;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas” class=”link “>technology transparency projectfound that these groups have ties to organizations such as the Three Percenters militia network, referred to by Meta as an “armed militia group” in its 2021 List of Dangerous Individuals and Organizations. However, groups such as the Free American Army have urged users to join their local militia or the Three Percenters without consequences (Meta removed the Free American Army group only after cabling asked about it, calling facebook a “confrontational space” that requires regular investment to stay safe).
Katie Paul, director of the tech Transparency Project, has observed hundreds of these groups and individuals since 2021 and has noticed a greater seriousness and focus in the organization compared to the previous year. “Many of these groups are no longer fractured collections of localized militias, but coalitions formed between multiple militia groups, many with the Three Percenters at the helm,” Paul said. cabling. “facebook remains the largest gathering place for extremists and militia movements to cast a wide network and funnel users into more private chats, even on the platform, where they can plan and coordinate with impunity.”
The tech Transparency Project found that users seek out “active patriots” to discuss anti-government ideologies, attend meetings, and receive combat training. The latter lends itself to a common theme: being prepared to confront or even go to war against enemies like drag queens, pro-Palestinian college students, and the government itself.
Take for example a recent post by the administrator of a group called Pennsylvania Light Foot, which has over 1,000 members: “In light of the violence and uncertainty in the world, the Covid 19 shortage, civil unrest, and the potential for terrorist attacks and natural calamities, We exist to equip our members with the ability to defend themselves, whether it is a mugger on the street or a foreign soldier in our yard.” These sentiments are echoed by other extremist organizers on facebook.
Meta has at least attempted to create a façade of action and transparency. In 2019, it launched the Oversight Board as an independent reviewer of its content moderation. While the agency has pointed out facebook's role in dangerous election rhetoric, including incidents outside the United States, critics argue it has not had enough impact. Now, technology/2024/04/29/meta-oversight-board-layoffs/” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank” data-ylk=”slk:The Washington Post reports;elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:5;pos:1;itc:0;sec:content-canvas”>Washington Post reports that layoffs on the Supervisory Board could be imminent.
On August 14, Meta will shut down CrowdTangle, a tool it bought in 2016 that allowed journalists and academics to see how conspiracy theories and misinformation moved on facebook and its sister site instagram, often showing the shortcomings of the platforms. The company is replacing it with the MetaContent Library, which not only appears to be less detailed but is not available to for-profit news organizations.
