On Oct. 12, Facebook released a statement to the public which announced that it is permanently banning all Holocaust denial content from its site.  

Monika Bickert, the vice president of content policy for Facebook, called attention to the increasing amount of anti-Semitism and overall ignorance many adults have about the Holocaust. Bickert highlighted a particularly troubling aspect of this in the company’s statement: “According to a recent survey of adults in the US aged 18-39, almost a quarter said they believed the Holocaust was a myth, that it had been exaggerated or they weren’t sure.” 

For years the American public school system has made it common practice to teach students about the Holocaust and the horrific loss of life that resulted from it. Teachers instruct students to read history books on the subject, watch documentaries, and read testimonies from real people who survived the genocide. The fact that the Holocaust was an actual event, one that will forever be a part of the world’s history, is undeniable. However, it is evident that there are still a significant number of people in America who would openly deny its existence. 

Mark Zuckerberg also posted a statement on his personal Facebook account in addition to the broader one released by his company. He shared his reasoning on why Facebook decided to change their policies now: “I’ve struggled with the tension between standing for free expression and the harm caused by minimizing or denying the horror of the Holocaust. My own thinking has evolved. . .” Zuckerberg ended his post with this final thought: “Drawing the right lines between what is and isn’t acceptable speech isn’t straightforward, but with the current state of the world, I believe this is the right balance.”

Facebook’s decision to ban Holocaust denial content is a victory, to be sure, but it is a belated one at that. In the time that Zuckerberg was struggling with the “balance” between free speech and the harm of denying a massive historical event, other people were free to continue writing posts which denied the Holocaust’s existence and share them with whomever they liked—virtually unchecked. It is the responsibility of social media developers, like Zuckerberg, to draw the lines for “what is and isn’t acceptable speech.” Facebook cannot wait for other people to hold it accountable. It must begin taking further action on its own to address such harmful content. 

Fortunately, Facebook has already begun taking steps in the right direction. According to Bickert, “We have banned more than 250 white supremacist organizations and updated our policies to address militia groups and QAnon.” She also added that “Beginning later this year, we will direct anyone to credible information off Facebook if they search for terms associated with the Holocaust or its denial on our platform.”

Facebook is an innovative tool. It is especially powerful due to its ability to shape public opinion through the posts that it allows on its site. Not only will this new ban help to prevent the spread of false information and discrimination, but it will also encourage open and informed discussion to take their place—making it highly useful to users. Facebook took an important step in banning Holocaust denial content from its site, and it is essential that the social media company continues to evaluate the damaging content users can share.