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Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

Facebook accused of introducing jihadis to one another via ‘suggested friends’ feature

May 7, 2018 7:00 am By Robert Spencer

Facebook’s Vice President Joel Kaplan traveled to Pakistan in July 2017 to assure the Pakistani government that it would remove “anti-Islam” material. That endeavor had already started before Kaplan’s trip. In mid-February 2017, traffic to Jihad Watch from Facebook dropped suddenly by 90% and has never recovered. And there are so many other sites that have experienced a similar dropoff.

This was no accident. It has happened to counter-jihad sites and others that oppose the hard-Left agenda across the board. And now we discover that meanwhile, Facebook was enabling jihadis.

“Facebook accused of introducing extremists to one another through ‘suggested friends’ feature,” by Martin Evans, Telegraph, May 5, 2018 (thanks to Vikram):

Facebook has helped introduce thousands of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) extremists to one another, via its ‘suggested friends’ feature, it can be revealed.

The social media giant – which is already under fire for failing to remove terrorist material from its platform – is now accused of actively connecting jihadists around the world, allowing them to develop fresh terror networks and even recruit new members to their cause.

Researchers, who analysed the Facebook activities of a thousand Isil supporters in 96 countries, discovered users with radical Islamist sympathies were routinely introduced to one another through the popular ‘suggested friends’ feature.

Using sophisticated algorithms, Facebook is designed to connect people who share common interests.

The site automatically collects a vast amount of personal information about its users, which is then used to target advertisements and also direct people towards others on the network they might wish to connect with.

But without effective checks on what information is being shared, terrorists are able to exploit the site to contact and communicate with sympathisers and supporters.

The extent to which the ‘suggested friend’ feature is helping Isil members on Facebook is highlighted in a new study, the findings of which will be published later this month in an extensive report by the Counter Extremism Project a non profit that has called on tech companies to do more to remove known extremist and terrorist material online.

Gregory Waters, one of the authors of the report, described how he was bombarded by suggestions for pro-Isil friends, after making contact with one active extremist on the site.

Even more concerning was the response his fellow researcher, Robert Postings, got when he clicked on several non-extremist news pages about an Islamist uprising in the Philippines.

Within hours he had been inundated with friend suggestions for dozens of extremists based in that region.

Mr Postings said: “Facebook, in their desire to connect as many people as possible have inadvertently created a system which helps connect extremists and terrorists.”

Once initial introductions are made the failure of Facebook to tackle extremist content on the site means Jihadists can quickly radicalise susceptible targets.

In one example uncovered by the researchers, an Indonesian Isil supporter sent a friend request to a non-Muslim user in New York in March 2017.

During the initial exchange the American user explained that he was not religious , but had an interest in Islam.

Over the following weeks and months the Indonesian user began sending increasingly radical messages and links including pro-Isil propaganda, all of which were liked by his target.

Mr Postings said: “Over a period of six months the [US based user] went from having no clear religion to becoming a radicalised Muslim supporting Isil.”

The study also examined the extent to which Facebook was failing to tackle terrorist material on its site.

Of the 1,000 Isil supporting profiles examined by researchers, less than half of the accounts had been suspended by Facebook six months later.

Mr Posting said: “Removing profiles that disseminate IS propaganda, calls for attacks and otherwise support the group is important…the fact that the majority of pro-IS profiles in this database have gone unremoved by Facebook is exceptionally concerning.”…

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Filed Under: Featured, Internet jihad Tagged With: Facebook


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Comments

  1. mike9a says

    May 7, 2018 at 7:18 am

    An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. WChurchill

    • mortimer says

      May 7, 2018 at 11:01 am

      FACEBOOK is SHARIA COMPLIANT.

      In other words, Muslims will see ZUCKERBERG as a DHIMMI, a KAFIR who submits to Islamic rule.

      Zuckerberg’s rules FORBID criticism of Islam or criticism of jihad, but promote Islamic supremacism and promote jihad.

      It is significant that TWITTER has started banning quotations from the Koran that promote violence and discrimination against kafirs.

      It is OBVIOUS to unbiased and CLEAR-MINDED people that the Koran solicits violence, discrimination, and AGGRESSION against KAFIRS and other DISBELIEVERS. 164 Koranic verses are JIHAD VERSES.

      It can only be a matter of time before the world will be ready to TAKE THE KORAN TO COURT under national ‘hate speech’ laws and see the Koran forbidden.

      • J D S says

        May 9, 2018 at 11:02 pm

        Right on Mortimer…..Facebook and others put $ before the safety of America…some might even say they were traitors.
        I think they got off too easy with the congressional inquisition.

      • Roberta says

        May 10, 2018 at 8:12 pm

        Then we need to ban the Bible as well, for both those religions are two sides of the same patriarchal coin. Have y’all read about the vengeful war-mongering God of the Old Testament that Christians are worshipping? This God also commands his followers to kill their enemies;, but most Christians, like the majority of Muslims, focus on the love and kindness to fellow man parts. You know, the “do unto others as you would have done unto you” parts. The Qur’an is basically a continuation of the Bible. I highly recommend that people read both books to realize that they are both Patriarchal and oppressive religions that have done absolutely nothing to benefit humans. In fact, it has been just the opposite! More genocides have been committed in the name of both those messed-up religions than anything else!

  2. Salah says

    May 7, 2018 at 9:04 am

    Mr Postings said: “Facebook, in their desire to connect as many people as possible have inadvertently created a system which helps connect extremists and terrorists.”

    Inadvertently?? I doubt it; no one can inadvertently do evil unless he has first rejected God and His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of discernment.

    Psalm 119:66
    “Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments.”

    • Rarely says

      May 7, 2018 at 11:01 am

      Most assuredly “inadvertent”. Let’s see how they address this.

    • boakai ngombu says

      May 7, 2018 at 1:34 pm

      thanx, Salah. some may not know enough to recognize what is to be discerned. David explains in Psalm 36:1-4 (ESV):

      Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. / For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. / The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good. / He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil….

  3. Granddaddy says

    May 7, 2018 at 11:40 am

    Ever since Nixon, my yardstick concerning people/organizations/religions/etc of doubtful veracity has always been, “Would you buy a used car from this person/organization/prophet/etc?” So, would you buy a used car from Zuckerberg? Would you buy a used car from Muhammad? This goes for senators, representatives, mayors, whatever. It doesn’t surprise me at all that Facebook is introducing terrorists to each other. They’ll be setting up special forums for FGM appointments and child marriages next. If they aren’t doing it already.

  4. No Muzzies Here says

    May 7, 2018 at 11:52 am

    Facebook is enabling the people that Robert Spencer is warning about in his books and videos which are being banned by other social media.
    One gets the distinct impression that the social media WANT this country to become a repressive, dictatorial theocracy.

    • Rarely says

      May 7, 2018 at 12:04 pm

      I am unable to ascribe such a motive to Facebook but can see how some would.
      It would be interesting to see how they are dealing with other groups such as “Anonymous” and White Supremacist groups.

    • Granddaddy says

      May 8, 2018 at 8:39 am

      I think you’re right. It’s been my opinion for a long time now that the media is being controlled by Muslims.

  5. nicu says

    May 7, 2018 at 11:59 am

    But if you speak the truth – you get banned : muslims and Merkel may not be critized 🙁

    Banned 5 times meanwhile

    • Max says

      May 8, 2018 at 7:19 pm

      Hopefully nicu, one day Facebook will the banned.

  6. gravenimage says

    May 7, 2018 at 5:30 pm

    Facebook accused of introducing jihadis to one another via ‘suggested friends’ feature
    ……………………

    How lovely…sarc/off

  7. Ade Fegan says

    May 8, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    while you-tube persecutes those who criticise islam ! …………
    you couldn’t freakin make it up !!!!!!!!

  8. Axis porcinus says

    May 8, 2018 at 6:59 pm

    Leave Facebook it dies.

  9. Max says

    May 8, 2018 at 7:17 pm

    What Facebook really represents is now being exposed and it is extremely ugly. The sooner this disgusting organization disappears, the better.

  10. Thomas Kimball says

    May 8, 2018 at 10:15 pm

    Zuckertird should be impaled!!!!!

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