Representational photo BigstockExtremism experts warned the president’s response could embolden Proud Boys supportersFacebook has identified an "uptick" in content related to the far-right Proud Boys on Wednesday, after President Donald Trump declined to condemn the group during Tuesday night's presidential debate, a company executive said on Twitter. The content included memes featuring Trump’s instructions to the group to “stand back and stand by,” said Brian Fishman, who directs Facebook’s team handling counterterrorism and dangerous organizations. Extremism experts warned the president’s response could embolden Proud Boys supporters, who promptly circulated memes quoting the president’s words on various social networks. Most of the content Facebook identified on Wednesday condemned the Proud Boys and Trump’s comments about them, but the company was removing any posts it found that praised the group, Fishman said. In 2018, Facebook banned the Proud Boys, which the Southern Poverty Law Center classifies as a hate group, and it has removed three networks of related accounts and content this year.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 01, 2020 05:26 UTC