Facebook bans Telangana BJP MLA over hate content

Amid growing controversy for its alleged bias in favouring the BJP, Facebook has banned BJP’s Telangana unit MLA T Raja Singh for violating its hate speech policies. The action came amid mounting pressure on Facebook over its handling of hate content being circulated by members of the ruling BJP. After Facebook banned him over content promoting hate, Telangana's lone BJP MLA T. Raja Singh said banning him made no sense as he had not been using Facebook since April last year.

New Delhi: Facebook on Thursday banned BJP MLA from Hyderabad, T. Raja Singh, who is at the centre of a controversy that erupted after a report in 'Wall Street Journal' that Facebook's content policies favoured the BJP.

The social media giant banned the legislator from its platform and Instagram for violating its policy that prohibits content promoting violence and hate.

"We have banned Raja Singh from Facebook for violating our policy prohibiting those that promote or engage in violence and hate from having a presence on our platform," a Facebook spokesperson said.

"The process for evaluating potential violators is extensive and it is what led us to Facebook's decision to remove his account," it added.

The action came amid mounting pressure on Facebook over its handling of hate content being circulated by members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Facebook, which has over 300 million users in India, came under criticism after the 'Wall Street Journal', published a report last month that Facebook deliberately ignored disruptive content from members of the ruling BJP as well as right-wing voices and groups who have been 'flagged internally'.

The report quoted unnamed Facebook insiders that one of the India policy executives intervened in an internal communication to stop a permanent ban on Raja Singh after he allegedly posted communal, divisive content.

Facebook representatives on Wednesday appeared before a Parliamentary panel led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor after they were summoned to discuss the issue of alleged misuse of the social media platform.

Earlier On Tuesday, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had written to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, alleging that some Facebook employees were abusing the Prime Minister and senior cabinet ministers.

The member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly posted a video on his Twitter account to claim that he never posted any inflammatory content on social media.

After Facebook banned him over content promoting hate, Telangana's lone BJP MLA T. Raja Singh said banning him made no sense as he had not been using Facebook since April last year.

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Raja Singh said his official Facebook page was removed and he had tweeted on April 1, 2019, wanting to know the reason from Facebook.

Interestingly, the controversial legislator also tagged a letter dated October 8, 2018, and addressed to additional deputy commissioner of police, Hyderabad, complaining that his official Facebook page (RajaSinghOfficial) was hacked.

The letter also mentions that he received an email from Facebook stating that he was removed as admin from the Facebook page.

Earlier, talking to reporters, he said he welcomed the Facebook ban on many accounts being run on the social media site in his name illegally.

Reacting to reports of Facebook banning him, the controversial legislator said he was thankful to the social media giant for removing all accounts running illegally.

He also urged Facebook to allow him to re-open his official account, which he alleged, was hacked in 2018.

Singh, who is known for making controversial comments and was also booked by police on various occasions, claimed that his official Facebook account was hacked and blocked in 2018.

The BJP leader, who represents Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad, also stated that there were several Facebook accounts being run in the country in his name and that he can't be held responsible for the comments posted on these pages.

Stating that he has only one official YouTube account and Twitter, Singh said he never posted anything provocative on these platforms.

The BJP leader said he had only one official Facebook account but it was hacked and blocked in 2018. "I lodged a complaint with Cyberabad police commissioner but there was no response," he said.

(IANS REPORT)