ANALYSIS | Meta says new rule allowing users to call gay people mentally ill is about free expression — others disagree

Meta has updated its moderation policies, allowing users to accuse others of being “mentally ill” based on gender identity or sexual orientation. While the new guidelines still prohibit offensive comments about people’s intelligence or mental health, they now make exceptions for accusations directed at LGBTQI+ people. From now on, users of Instagram, Facebook or Threads will be able to refer to gay or trans people as “mentally ill”, “immoral”, “…

ANALYSIS | Meta says new rule allowing users to call gay people mentally ill is about free expression — others disagree

Canadian groups who study and advocate for free expression have mixed feelings on Meta's changes to what is automatically considered "hateful" conduct on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, as advocates for 2SLGBTQ+ people and women voice concerns over terms like "whore" being allowed on the platform.

Mark Zuckerberg changes the rules of Meta and takes a new step towards the postulates of Elon Musk and Donald Trump

“We do allow accusations of mental illness or abnormality when they are based on gender or sexual orientation” reflect in the new wording of the ‘Community Standards’

Meta's Rule Change Looks Like It Will 'Flood the Zone'

Photo by Resume Genius on UnsplashAt first glance, it seems odd that Mark Zuckerberg's Meta, is in his words, embracing its "roots around free expression," in what appears to be a bid to appeal to Donald Trump. The notion of Trump as a defender of free speech seems spurious: Trump himself has launched a flurry of defamation lawsuits against perceived critics, and some of these have been dismissed on First Amendment grounds.Zuckerberg's loosening…

There are legitimate reasons to leave Facebook and Instagram - if you want to boycott the company. But social media are also public community spaces. When LGBTQ people leave them because they don't feel welcome there, they are fulfilling the dream of those who wish they didn't exist. A withdrawal is therefore politically disastrous.