Facebook Labels Rittenhouse Shooting ‘Mass Murder,’ Removes Posts Defending Teen
. . . "Facebook has labeled the Kyle Rittenhouse shooting a mass murder and has removed posts from users who argue he acted in self-defense when he shot and killed two people during a riot last week, a company spokesman told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
"Facebook placed the 17-year-old Rittenhouse on the company’s list of “dangerous individuals and organizations,” according to the spokesman. The spokesman did not respond to a question about whether Facebook will make a distinction between users who post content suggesting Rittenhouse acted in self-defense and those who use his actions as a way to express support for shooting rioters and protesters.
"The spokesman cited a post from YouTube personality Mark Dice as an example of content that will be removed. Dice, a conservative writer, wrote an Aug. 28 Facebook post in which he described a video showing Rittenhouse helping a wounded protester in Kenosha. The post was removed, Dice explained in a Sept. 1 tweet." . . .
"The reasoning for the removal was later reported on by NBC News.
“Patriot Prayer has hosted dozens of pro-gun, pro-Trump rallies, and attendees have repeatedly clashed with left-wing groups around Portland, Oregon, where one group supporter was killed this week.
"Facebook took down the pages as part of efforts to remove “violent social militias” from its social networks, spokesman Andy Stone said.”
"The company updated its policies last month to ban groups that demonstrate significant risks to public safety.
"Its dangerous organizations policy now includes groups that celebrate violent acts or suggest they will use weapons, even if they are not directly organizing violence.
"Gibson, who espouses non-violence but is accused by anti-fascist groups of provoking confrontations, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
"After the shooting he cautioned supporters not to seek revenge, but rather ‘push back politically, spiritually.'”
"Carmen stated she is unfamiliar with the term violent social militia. “I’ve never heard this phrase before, and it sounds broad and made up; something that they can paint anyone with,” Carmen told The Libertarian Republic. “It seems now that Facebook is behaving as a publisher rather than as a platform.”' . . .