Facebook Making “Good Progress” On Detecting Hate Speech, Says APAC VP
Facebook’s regional vice president says the company is making “good progress” on identifying hate speech before it is reported. But reports show Facebook is undertaking a major overhaul of its algorithms, used to detect hate speech.
Flagged by Facebook’s vice president APAC, Dan Neary, as one of the American social media conglomerate’s major social issues, the prevalence of hate speech was recently incorporated as a new metric in the company’s quarterly community standards enforcement report.
In third-quarter 2020, Facebook said hate speech accounted for 0.1 to 0.11 per cent of all posts. Neary explained that this means the average user experiences 10 to 11 views of hate speech that violates Facebook’s content policies for every 10,000 views of content.
Furthermore, the detection rate for hate speech identified by Facebook’s AI before it is reported to the company is now at 94.7 per cent—up from 80.5 per cent a year ago and just 24 per cent in 2017.
The detection rate on Instagram currently sits slightly higher at 94.8 per cent, Neary said at Facebook’s APAC Press Day, describing the increase in detection as “good progress” for the social media conglomerate.
According to information provided to B&T by Facebook, the social media company’s proactive detection rates for violating content are up from Q2 across most policies, including hate speech, due to improvements in AI and “expanding our detection technologies to more languages”.
“On Instagram in Q3, we took action on 6.5 million pieces of hate speech content (up from 3.2 million in Q2), about 95 per cent of which was proactively identified (up from about 85 per cent in Q2),” a Facebook spokesperson told B&T.
The increase in Facebook’s proactive detection rate for hate speech on Instagram was driven in part by improvements made to its proactive detection technology for English, Arabic and Spanish languages, and expanding automation technology.
The spokesperson said Facebook expects fluctuations in these numbers “as we continue to adapt to COVID-related workforce challenges”.
Algorithm overhaul in the works
The news comes as The Washington Post reports Facebook is embarking on a major overhaul of its algorithms that detect hate speech, which would reverse so-called “race-blind” practices.
The Post reports these practices have resulted in Facebook being more vigilant about removing slurs thrown at White users, but flagged and deleted lower-risk posts by people of colour on the platform.
According to internal documents obtained by The Post, the overhaul is known as the ‘WoW Project’ and in its early stages, and involves re-engineering the company’s automated moderation systems.
This aims to reportedly improve Facebook’s ability to detect and automatically delete hateful language, called “the worst of the worst”, which includes slurs directed at Blacks, Muslims, people of more than one race, the LGBTQ community and Jews, according to the documents.
The improvements have also addressed the policing of contemptuous comments about “Whites”, “men” and “Americans”, which are now treated as “low-sensitivity”, The Post reports.
Facebook (and now Instagram) has long banned hate speech, which it said is defined as “a direct attack on people based on what we call protected characteristics”.
These characteristics include race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, caste, sex, gender, gender identity, and serious disease or disability. Facebook defines attack as violent or dehumanising speech, statements of inferiority, or calls for exclusion or segregation.
Facebook says it has “thousands of people” in its community operations team who provide all-hours support across the globe and in more than 40 languages. Both automatic and manual systems work to flag and block accounts used for spam and inappropriate content.
According to The Post, before the overhaul the company’s algorithms and policies did not make a distinction between groups that were “more likely to be targets of hate speech” versus those that have not been historically marginalised.
Comments like “White people are stupid” were treated the same as anti-Semitic or racist slurs, The Post reports.
The move reportedly comes in response to internal pressure from employees within Facebook, and after years of criticism by civil rights advocates that content from Black users is “disproportionately removed”, particularly, The Post reports, when they use the platform to describe experiences of discrimination.
B&T has reached out to Facebook for further comment on the WoW Project.
Latest News
Enjoy A Hahn Solo… And May The Fourth Be With You
This May the fourth Hahn will celebrate alongside Star Wars fans rewarding their passion via a giant Hahn travelling solo through the sky. It’s the one day of the year when all sci-fi fans rejoice and giggle to themselves and Hahn in partnership with Thinkerbell, UM and Affinity is celebrating with an out of this […]
DMARGE Founder Unveils Creator-Led Social Media Agency Feedstar
New creator-led social media agency Feedstar to be aimed directly at Gen Zs. Well, they'd hardly want print, would they?
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): A total of 1,753,000 Aussies Witness Port Adelaide’s Defeat
Seven's AFL numbers almost double that of the NRL last night. The NRL still easily winning for ruptured ACLs.
Hotglue Cashes In With La Trobe Financial Digital Media Account
Hotglue staffers learning their cashflows from their collaterals today after nabbing La Trobe Financial's digital media.
M&C Saatchi’s Sydney Creative Lead Exits
B&T's stopping short of calling it a revolving door at M&C at the present, but there's definitely heat on the hinges.
Taylor Swift’s Music Re-Enters TikTok As Universal Pens Landmark Deal
Yes, B&T may have spent 152 hours failing to get Taylor Swift tickets, but, as you'll read here, it's all behind us now.
HAVAS Red launches inaugural Influencer White Paper
Havas Red has debuted its first influencer white paper. Unless you print it out in colour, of course.
Two Sides Global Campaign Reports Increasing Greenwashing As Organisations Focus On Sustainability
New report confirms greenwashing's on the rise. Apparently Mars' 'work, rest & play' claims also under investigation.
Aruga Launches New HQ & Changed Ownership Structure
PR agency Aruga proves Brisbane is 'so hot right now'. So hot in fact, Adelaide's had to go on anti-anxiety meds.
Delicious & American Express Partner To Launch Month Out 2024 In Sydney
Cost of living got you eating noodles prepared in the two-minute style? Why not live vicariously through this.
Aussie Ad Market Continues Decline In March
The belt-tightening in adland shows signs of a turnaround soon. Bar the belt-loosening at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
VMA Focuses On Skills And Training For Members
If there was a post-COVID hangover (bar the anti-vax ranters) it was the rise in skills shortages. Here's another one.
Nearly 90% Of Consumers Want Transparency About AI Images, Finds Getty Images Report
Study finds consumers want transparency around AI images. Couldn't care less about photoshopped magazine covers.
The National Breast Cancer Foundation Partners With VML To Boost Funds
Anyone else feel we've exhausted the office morning tea for cancer? B&T proposes the office moonshine still instead.
Perry ‘Pez’ Lazaris Named New National Hit Network Announcer
Why is it mandatory for the media to only publish the nicknames of people in radio & underworld crime figures?
Before Adland: Garry Dawson’s Journey From Teacher To Marketer
Here, the Hopeful Monsters marketer talks his shift from the classroom to the room wherever marketers congregate.
Scott Cam Urges Tradies To Prioritise Sun Protection
The Block host promoting sun protection to tradies. Also, don't try getting into the RSL after 6pm wearing high viz.
PubMatic Study: Advertising On Retail Media Is 50% More Effective Than Social Media
New study finds retail media 50% more effective than social. B&T says two-for-one Tim Tams trumps the lot.
From MOWING to life GROWING: Jim Penman launches ‘Life Coaching’ services
Can't decide on getting the hedges trimmed or finding a deeper meaning to life? You're in luck with this new venture.
Budweiser Brazil Turns Songs That Name Drop The Iconic Brand Into Spotify Ads
It's strange that Budweiser never found a market among beer-swilling Aussies. Then again, neither did the fluffy duck.
Effie Worldwide Strengthens Board With 6 New Members
B&T hopes everyone's wearing their Maseur sandals at the Effies, as it's standing room only at the next board meeting.
Special Enlist A Penguin Named Nigel In Latest Energy Campaign For Contact
Special unveils Nigel the penguin in work for energy provider Contact. Apparently Percy the peacock was booked.
Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth & George Miller Ignite Sydney For Epic Mad Max Launch
The Mad Max film franchise is Australia's cinematic gift to the world. That & Chris Hemsworth's near perfect cheekbones.
IAS Launches First-To-Market Integration With Roblox To Provide 3D Immersive Measurement
Always thought you could do with better 3D immersive measurement? Happy days are ahead here.
Fast And Furious: Top Gear Australia Launch Thrilled Motorheads, Car Entusiasts And Guests
B&T is still no closer to knowing who the new Stig is, except that she is a woman and a ridiculously fast.
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): Seven’s The 1% Club Wins The Night
The 1% club did not live up to its name when it comes to TV ratings last night.
TRA Welcomes Raft Of New Hires; Bolstering Expertise Across Markets
Insights and research agency TRA announces slew of new hires. Still no news on the return of marble wash denim, however.
CX Lavender Hires Boston Consulting Group’s Kim Verbrugghe as Chief Strategy Officer
CX Lavender announces new strategy hire and channels 'acoustic folk act at local RSL' for the publicity pic.
Opinion: Community standards, will they be the death of us?
This columnist is talking community standards. Sadly not those people who put dogs in trolleys in supermarkets.
Tegel gets heads bobbing with new free-range chicken platform
Sure, there's a lot of moral considerations when buying a chook. Yet, not as baffling as buying eggs or canned tuna.
Study: 66% of Aussie men believe masculinity is under attack
Two-thirds of Aussie blokes say masculinity's under attack. That said, sales of Solo lemon drink appear robust.
‘Equal Writes’: Canyon reveals new campaign and refreshed brand for women and non-binary writers
As this brand redesign again proves, nothing beats black on white. Well, white on black in this instance.
Icon Agency bolsters consumer and integrated offer with major hires
Icon Agency unveils new recruits. As press photo confirms office moustache competition now a lay-down misère.
Clemenger launches agricultural graduate program
Has Farmer Wants A Wife triggered an interest in dagging & hay balers? This grads program may resonate.
Levi’s Appoint UM As Global Media Agency For $217m Account
Levi's are the jeans for rockstars, models & the cool kids. Although that's not stopped dads from ruining their image.
QMS Nabs Sean Rigby From oOh!media
Things set to get spicy at the next Outdoor Media Association dinner and dance as a rival gets poached.