Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect. — Mark Twain
A sort of anti-Islam Facebook group faces closure due to large-scale threats of its users leaving the website if the group is not shut down. The description of the group IS offensive no doubt and even the forum topics are inflammatory, but why close the group if it is not instigating violence? Why curb the freedom of expression in this case? If Jesus can be shown ejaculating into a toilet seat and naked Sita can be shown straddling Lord Hanuman’s tail why a group called “Fuck Islam” cannot be tolerated? You can find millions of online groups venting hatred against all conceivable religions and it doesn’t make sense closing all of them.
Should Facebook give in to its users’ pressure? It shouldn’t. Tomorrow every community will demand the closure of another community and that would be the end of this great website. In short term it may seem prudent to remove the group and stop the other members from leaving but this act will permanently make a dent in the website’s popularity because people will think that no ideas are safe if they are communicated through Facebook. If the topics covered in the forum are so offensive, then I think they should be allowed to die their own death. In fact the protest has earned the group a mention in various magazines and newspapers, and blogs.
More links on the same topic:
- Political and Religious Controversy on Facebook
- Anti-Islam Facebook Group Removed After User Complaints
- Facebook has an F-word problem
Technorati Tags: facebook, anti-islam, islam, social media
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