Facebook groups are increasingly being exploited to spread disinformation, hate speech, and incite violence. This is a growing concern, as Facebook’s moderation efforts largely focus on public posts rather than private groups. These groups, often large and highly active, can be easily infiltrated by bad actors who use them to disseminate harmful content.
In Sri Lanka, for example, Facebook groups were used to fuel ethnic tensions and incite violence against the Muslim minority. The platform’s algorithms also play a role in this issue, as they often recommend similar groups to users, thereby facilitating the spread of such content.
Facebook’s efforts to address these issues have been criticised as inadequate. While the company has implemented measures like banning certain types of content and groups, these efforts are often circumvented by users who simply create new groups or use coded language to avoid detection.
Moreover, Facebook’s reliance on artificial intelligence for moderation is problematic, as it often fails to understand the nuances of language and context. This, coupled with the lack of transparency about Facebook’s moderation policies and practices, has led to calls for increased oversight and regulation of the platform.
Go to source article: https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/how-facebook-groups-are-being-exploited-to-spread#.vmExda5Ml