Facebook and Holocaust Denial: Free Speech or Hate Speech?

Is Facebook facilitating the proliferation of Holocaust denial?

Or is it simply a matter of free speech? Or, does "free speech" become inadmissible hate speech when it repeats the rhetoric that lead to the death of millions?

Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt caused quite a stir in the blogosphere (and beyond) after he defended the social networking site's refusal to remove public groups that promote Holocaust denial. Attorney Brian Cuban, among others, argues that the groups violate Facebook's own terms of service, but Schnitt told Chris Matyszczyk of CNET:

"The bottom line is that, of course, we abhor Nazi ideals and find Holocaust denial repulsive and ignorant. However, we believe people have a right to discuss these ideas and we want Facebook to be a place where ideas, even controversial ideas, can be discussed. Of course, we have some limits. I've discussed these previously and go into them again below.

One thing to consider that someone actually mentioned in the thread was the idea that there may be a benefit to having these ideas discussed in the open. Would we rather Holocaust denial was discussed behind closed doors or quietly propagated by anonymous sources? Or would we rather it was discussed in the open on Facebook where people's real names and their photo is associated with it for their friends, peers, and colleagues to see?"

So it seems that Facebook wants to over its platform to those who promote theories based wholly in hate and void of fact --- which, given Facebook's prominence in popular culture and communications, will likely serve more to highlight deniers rather than open them to debate. This debate is nothing new, and, indeed, is hardly a debate at all --- rather, it's hate-based ideology clung to desperately by those more interested in their prejudices than well-documented and widely-accepted historical fact.

The proliferation of hate has implications beyond mere speech. Genocide, the most extreme manifestation of hate, always begins with words --- with the denigration and marginalization of a target group, perceived to be inferior, eventually escalating to violent with the intent to exterminate. And while not all hate speech reaches the level of genocide, its effects are still keenly felt, sometimes violently, but its recipients. Hate speech towards the LGBT community, all races and ethnic groups, religions, nationalities, etc is all grossly unacceptable --- Holocaust denial, which is nearly always (if not always) a thin veil on anti-Semitism, should fall in the same category.

Matyszczyk reported earlier today that Facebook removed two of the five controversial groups, and asks, "Is it enough?"

I would say, most definitely, "No."