Greta Thunberg will quit Facebook if it doesn't curb hate speech and conspiracy theories: 'The lack of taking responsibility is very disturbing'
Climate activist Greta Thunberg has considered quitting Facebook, as she finds the social media platform's "lack of taking responsibility very disturbing".
She cited that it takes negligible interest in curbing the massive amounts of hate speech, conspiracy theories and lack of fact-checking that reigns on the forum.
Sharing her sentiments on a Facebook post to her 2.6 million followers, the 16-year-old wrote on Wednesday, October 23: "I am, like many others, questioning whether I should keep using Facebook or not."
"Allowing hate speech, the lack of fact-checking and, of course, the issues of interfering with democracy... are among many, many other things that are very upsetting," she wrote.
"The constant lies and conspiracy theories about me and countless others, of course, result in hate, death threats and ultimately violence. This could easily be stopped if Facebook wanted to. I find the lack of taking responsibility very disturbing," she added.
In conclusion, she noted: "But I'm sure that if they are challenged and if enough of us demand change — then change will come." The post was accompanied by a video that showed Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg testifying before House Financial Services Committee.
In the new report video from earlier that day, Zuckerberg was being asked about Libra — his latest cryptocurrency project, while he was also grilled for his organization's refusal to control hate speech or other false advertisements.
On Thunberg's side, she has claimed that as the attention on her and her activism continues to grow, she and her family members are being harassed and bullied on social media. "The one who suffers is my sister," Thunberg told Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter.
"She is 13 years old and has to endure systematic bullying, hatred, and harassment. The people who write threats and hate to me do it to the whole family, even to her. The difference between me and the people who are left at home is that I am always traveling, inaccessible."
Just a day after sharing her heartfelt message to her followers, urging them to demand Facebook change its policies and police such negative messages, Thunberg also apologized to other celebrity figures who have been harassed by people pretending to be her on social media.
"It has come to my attention that a few people have been trying to impersonate me or falsely claim that they 'represent' me in order to communicate with political leaders, famous actors, singers and musicians,'" she shared on both Facebook and Twitter.
"I apologize to anyone who’s been contacted — and maybe even misled by this kind of behavior. I hope that those who want to sincerely reach out to me will do so using the recognized channels. The good news in all of this is that this just means we're having impact. Activism works. And see you in the streets!'"