Mark Zuckerberg admits that the world's biggest social networking site did not handle hate speech against migrants in Germany well enough. However, he understands that Facebook needs to do a better job and stamp out hate speech on the social media site.
Back in September, Zuckerberg personally met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to talk about the issue concerning the Neo-Nazi hate speech versus migrants and refugees in Germany over the social media. Just last Friday, Zuckerberg once again paid a visit to Germany and had a meeting with Merkel's chief of staff. The meeting, held at a town hall event in Berlin, "really highlighted how much [Facebook] needed to do" in the country.
Facebook has been criticized for its slow response in combating violent anti-migrant postings on the social networking site.
"Hate speech has no place on Facebook and in our community," said Zuckerberg. "Until recently in Germany, I don't think we were doing a good enough job. And I think we will continue needing to do a better and better job."
He said there are still a lot of things to do about this pressing issue in Germany and that the company had heard the message "loud and clear."
The chief executive said the company talked with its partners in Germany to come up with an initiative plus it also employed 200 people in an effort to counter violent posts on the site.
Additionally, he underscored that Facebook has already learned to consider migrants as a class of people who need more protection from "hate speech" on the Web, very much like what it does to other racial minorities.
Zuckerberg went on to say that learning more about the law and culture of Germany has contributed in modifying Facebook's approach on this issue.
"This is always a work in progress," he said. "I'm not going to claim up here today that we're perfect, we're definitely not."
Jonas Umland, the student who questioned the CEO with regard to "hate speech," in the meantime, seemed satisfied with Zuckerberg's response.
The student told Reuters after the event that he found it good that the chief executive mentioned that there was room for improvement.
However, he thinks that Zuckerberg did not lay down particular measures the company would take regarding the problem.
"I found him very likeable," Umland said.
