• Home
  • News
  • Coins2Day 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

Facebook Is Weeding Out Profiles with Ties to Terrorists

By
Jonathan Chew
Jonathan Chew
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Chew
Jonathan Chew
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 12, 2016, 8:30 AM ET
US-CRIME-SHOOTING
People leave candles at a memorial at the San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino, California, December 3, 2015 for victims of the December 2 mass shooting in San Bernardino which left 14 dead and at least 17 injured. AFP PHOTO / ROBYN BECK / AFP / ROBYN BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)Photograph by Robyn Beck — AFP/Getty Images

Facebook is stepping up efforts to police any content that supports terrorism, which includes removing profiles linked to extremists from its roughly-1.6 billion users.

The social network has reportedly assembled a team dedicated to looking at any material that backs terrorist groups, and has sped up removal of users that are involved in or seemingly support such activities, according to the Wall Street Journal.

This comes after the site removed the profile of one of the two attackers involved in the San Benardino shooting last December, who was later discovered to have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State on Facebook. In early January, government officials met with a team from the company— including chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg—over how social media networks like Facebook (FB) could help curb extremist views online.

“If it’s the leader of Boko Haram and he wants to post pictures of his two-year-old and some kittens, that would not be allowed,” Monika Bickert, Facebook’s head of global policy management, told the Journal.

Company executives reportedly started tightening their process about a year ago after meetings with academics led them to find that terrorists typically operate in groups.

Last week, Twitter (TWTR) said it had suspended over 125,000 accounts since mid-2015 for “threatening or promoting terrorist acts, primarily related to ISIS.”

About the Author
By Jonathan Chew
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Coins2Day 500
  • Global 500
  • Coins2Day 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Coins2Day Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Coins2Day Brand Studio
  • Coins2Day Analytics
  • Coins2Day Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Coins2Day
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Coins2Day Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Coins2Day Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.