Fake News, Racism: 2016 Was Not Facebook’s Lucky Year

May 2017 be free of faux pas, Facebook!

Time to change your policies, Facebook!

2016 was certainly not Facebook’s luckiest year. From being accused of racial discrimination to blocking viral pictures, the social media giant received abundant criticism.

Here’s a list of four incidents that forced the social media giant to rethink its policies.

Facebook’s Fake News Controversy

Facebook was under fire last year for the 'Fake News' warning label. The social media giant said that it would start applying warning labels to some "fake news" stories that users shared on the social network. Articles that are known to be false and are published with the intent to misguide people would be flagged.

The network faced a fundamental problem as some of its users didn't trust their fact-checkers. The decision led to an immediate revolt by right-wing websites and a few writers. In response, the social media giant said that it is moving carefully so that the warning labels aren't misused.

Facebook Blocks Meme Pages Without Warning

Facebook even faced revolt from meme pages as they were deleted without prior warning by the social media giant. The platform takes immediate action against posts flagged as offensive by users.

Racism at Facebook’s North Carolina Facility

Facebook faced a racial discrimination lawsuit after two employees, Robert Baron Duffy [former employee] and Robert Louis Gary [current employee] from the company’s North Carolina facility complained about a manager who used racial slurs when dealing with black employees.

They also claimed that black employees were paid less than their white colleagues. Facebook said they had taken immediate action against the manager but the employees weren’t appeased.

A Nudity Filter That Cannot Take Into Account Context

Facebook faced flak for taking down the photo of a father cradling his sick son in the shower. The picture took the internet by storm because of the heartrending nature of the photograph. The one-year-old was suffering from salmonella poisoning at the time. Instead of recognising the photo for what it was, the social media giant blocked the image on Facebook for ‘nudity.’