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Last update - 18:46 12/05/2009
Facebook about-face: Site won't ban Holocaust deniers
By Haaretz Service and DPA
Tags: Facebook, Israel News 

The popular social networking site Facebook will not disqualify users who use the site as a forum to deny the Holocaust, a spokesperson for the company told an Internet tech blog on Tuesday.

Responding to widespread indignation, Facebook appeared Monday to have taken down several Holocaust denial sites, though several others were still viewable.

The move came after a Facebook spokesman had earlier declined to shut down the Holocaust denial groups with names like Holocaust: A Series of Lies, Holohoax, and Holocaust is a Myth. While these sites were still live on Monday, others were deleted, including: Based on the facts ... there was no Holocaust, and Holocaust is a Holohoax.
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But on Tuesday it seemed as if the company was making an about-face. "Denying the Holocaust is not a violation of our terms," Facebook spokesperson Barry Schnitt told the website Techcrunch.com

Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, a Jewish former Harvard University student.

"We abhor Nazi ideals and find Holocaust denial repulsive and ignorant," a spokesman said over the weekend. "Just being offensive or objectionable doesn't get it taken off Facebook. However, we believe people have a right to discuss these ideas, and we want Facebook to be a place where ideas, even controversial ideas, can be discussed."

Dallas lawyer Brian Cuban went public with Facebook's policy late last week, prompting outraged responses from across the internet. Many people pointed out that earlier this year the site had in fact used its power to ban pictures of breastfeeding.

"Jew-haters welcome at Facebook as long as they aren't lactating," the influential blog techCrunch noted in a headline.

Facebook Product Manager Ezra Callahan was cited by techCrunch as defending the company's policy.

Facebook Spokesman Randi Zuckerberg referred critics of the policy to an article written by Callahan on the subject:

Facebook is a "company run by a prominent Jew" and can't "possibly show preferential treatment to one offended group over others," Zuckerberg cited him as saying. According to Zuckerberg, Callahan himself is Jewish.

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      1.   Pls explain why Holocaust denial so horrible. 06:24  |  ALASKA 12/05/09
      2.   Pls explain 07:34  |  Zeev 12/05/09
      3.   Alaska`s comments 09:21  |  John Q. Public 12/05/09
      4.   To #1 ALASKA `Pls explain why Holocaust...` 09:30  |  Colin Wright 12/05/09
      5.   Facebook 09:35  |  dg 12/05/09
      6.   #1 Because it`s HORRIBLE to deny a well documented historical tra 10:36  |  Hastaroth 12/05/09
      7.   #1 Alaska, here`s the answer: 11:19  |  James 12/05/09
      8.   Good fight hatred wherever possible 12:05  |  Baruch Gold 12/05/09
      9.   # 1 free expression only works if it is universal 12:05  |  dmgold 12/05/09
      10.   I have to disagree with Facebook 13:21  |  Scott G 12/05/09
      11.   #1 Alaska....because, we, the West, let it happen 14:03  |  Lynn 12/05/09
      12.   ALASKA you can produce an accademic critical study.Whats wrong 14:06  |  PETER SM 12/05/09
      13.   why holocust denial is a crime why other facts denial not?End 14:37  |  eric 12/05/09
      14.   answer to #6 16:23  |  flo 12/05/09
      15.   WHY TO BAN THEM?? 16:26  |  TAREQ 12/05/09
      16.   Colin Wright analogy 16:29  |  Arie 12/05/09
      17.   These Insane People Belong In Mental Hospitals 17:00  |  UsedToPostHere 12/05/09
      18.   re: flo 17:08  |  UsedToPostHere 12/05/09
      19.   re: TAREQ 17:15  |  UsedToPostHere 12/05/09
      20.   Shut them down and move on 18:11  |  Steven Smith 12/05/09
      21.   Jewish Peril 18:23  |  Ron 12/05/09
      22.   Did the Allies really bomb Dresden? 18:25  |  Noam D. Blume 12/05/09
      23.   wow jews re great liars 18:37  |  dave 12/05/09
      24.   denial is ileagal 18:43  |  isac 12/05/09
      25.   Idiots & Liars have free speech rights, #1 18:51  |  Don 12/05/09
      26.   facebook is a site for free speech not diplomacy 18:56  |  zionist forever 12/05/09
      27.   Colin Wright - rape gd arg for free speech 19:05  |  Don 12/05/09
      28.   facebook is quite right 19:11  |  harzion 12/05/09
      29.   Idiots & Liars have free speech rights, #2 19:16  |  Don 12/05/09
      30.   Holocaust denial is vile but freedom of speech is more important 19:23  |  anti-racist 12/05/09
      31.   N Blume - you would ban all WWII debate??? 19:31  |  Don 12/05/09
      32.   Lynn # 11 Your distortion of American history to save your histor 19:38  |  American in NY 12/05/09
      33.   Holocaust denial should be illegal because 19:39  |  Joey 12/05/09
      34.   What works - and not 19:41  |  Canderra 12/05/09
      35.   why its illegal....some places 19:45  |  corey 12/05/09
      36.   canderrra # 33 What you describe is called freedopm of speech. 20:00  |  American in NY 12/05/09
      37.   to #32 20:11  |  James 12/05/09
      38.   31. American in NY 20:12  |  dave 12/05/09
      39.   free speech argument fails 21:02  |  DanielP 12/05/09
      40.   ALASKA #1 Jewish exceptionalism. Israel denies Armenian holocaust 21:03  |  American in NY 12/05/09
      41.   holo number 21:12  |  david 12/05/09
      42.   In the grand scheme of things if I were to criminalize any speech 21:16  |  American in NY 12/05/09
      43.   James you are right! 21:42  |  Chet 12/05/09
      44.   To Arie #16 `Colin Wright analogy`, part I 22:03  |  Colin Wright 12/05/09
      45.   to #1 22:08  |  veronica 12/05/09
      46.   To Arie #16 `Colin Wright analogy`, part II 22:11  |  Colin Wright 12/05/09
      47.   Holocaust denial, as antisemitism, is not an opinion 22:16  |  Arnaud 12/05/09
      48.   To Joey #33 `Holocaust denial should be illegal because` 22:27  |  Colin Wright 12/05/09
      49.   According to a non russian jew 22:51  |  Yakov 12/05/09
      50.   # 1 22:54  |  J.K. 12/05/09
      51.   Yelling Fire in Crowded Theatre when Not true is not Free Speech 23:23  |  Steve 12/05/09
      52.   Holocaust Deniers are hate spreaders 23:30  |  Baruch Gold 12/05/09
      53.   Jesus Denial 23:36  |  ted 12/05/09
      54.   #1 Its Jewish exceptionalism. Israel denies the Armenian holocaus 23:46  |  American in NY 12/05/09
      55.   If, in the grand scheme of things, I were to criminalize any spe 23:49  |  American in NY 12/05/09
      56.   paradox is clear but letting go is no option 23:55  |  Mark B. 12/05/09
      57.   Holocaust Denial? 00:24  |  Nabeel 13/05/09
      58.   Holocaust denial: beware 01:13  |  leucippe 13/05/09
      59.   Please save us from more censorship! 01:18  |  WHG 13/05/09
      60.   holocaust 01:25  |  eileen wilkinson 13/05/09
      61.   What about the Armenians 01:42  |  Fairness 13/05/09
      62.   Colin wright is... 02:28  |  Lawyer II 13/05/09
      63.   Its America, freedom of speech, everyone has the right to be dumb 06:53  |  Constitution 13/05/09
      64.   James,No.37 08:56  |  Hastaroth 13/05/09
      65.   Will the Facebook allow me to set up a page... 09:02  |  Hastaroth 13/05/09
      66.   Banning only helps Holocaust deniers 11:28  |  Manny Goldstein 13/05/09
      67.   Uh, ignorance of ignorance is ... ignorance! 13:45  |  Blake 13/05/09
      68.   Hastaroth, you must be joking 13:57  |  Blake 13/05/09
      69.   Facebook 15:33  |  Lawyer 13/05/09
      70.   Lawyer ll # 46 could it be Jewish exceptionalism 15:47  |  American in NY 13/05/09
      71.   No. 3 I agree My Wife lost hewr whole family except 17:50  |  Big Sur 13/05/09
      72.   #60 Lawyer2 Yes true 17:59  |  Big Sur 13/05/09
      73.   regarding Israels non acceptence of Armenian genocide 18:10  |  Big Sur 13/05/09
      74.   In America we have the constitution to protect free speech. 19:15  |  American in NY 13/05/09
      75.   American in NY you obviously have free speech in Israel 2 19:39  |  Big Sur 13/05/09
      76.   #31 You misunderstand "debate" See Monty Python`s Argument Clinic 19:53  |  Noam D. Blume 13/05/09
      77.   #4 Problem with Wright`s rape analogy is it may blame the victim 20:05  |  Noam D. Blume 13/05/09
      78.   To John Q. Public 22:20  |  nora 13/05/09
      79.   Why so afraid? 22:40  |  DAT 13/05/09
      80.   #79 DAT can you possibly be unaware of hundreds of such studies? 02:04  |  Noam D. Blume 14/05/09
      81.   Big Sur # 75 I have full freedom of speech only in America 03:36  |  American in NY 14/05/09
      82.   # 78 Nora 08:16  |  John Q. Public 14/05/09
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