SOCIAL media companies are failing to act on 89% of reported anti-Muslim and Islamophobic content on their platforms, according to a recent report.

“This report revealed that social media companies, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube, have failed to act on 89% of reported posts containing anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobic content,” said the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), as reported by Anadolu Agency.

Meta, Twitter and Google, in a joint statement in 2019, committed to uphold the Christchurch call to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.

The social media giants said they will be resolute in their “commitment to ensure they are doing all they can to fight the hatred and extremism that lead to terrorist violence”.

“Once again, their press releases prove to be nothing more than empty promises,” said the report.

According to Anadolu Agency, CCDH researchers reported 530 posts containing bigoted, disturbing and dehumanising content that target Muslims via racist caricatures, conspiracies and false claims.

These posts were viewed at least 25 million times.

The report said most of the abusive content is easily identifiable, yet there is still inaction.

It said Instagram, TikTok and Twitter allow users to use hashtags, such as #deathtoislam, #islamiscancer and #ragheadi, adding that content spread using the hashtags received at least 1.3 million impressions.

Such content further endangers these communities by driving “social divisions, normalising abusive behaviour and encouraging offline attacks and abuse”, it added.

“Platforms profit from this hate; gleefully monetising content, interactions, and the resulting attention and eyeballs. For them, hate is good business.” – Bernama, May 6, 2022.