Facebook censoring “Facebook” groups?

July 9th, 2007

By Justin Smith

A friend pointed out something interesting to me today: Go to Facebook Groups and search for “Facebook” and check out what’s returned–nothing.

But this seems a little odd, because “Facebook” groups clearly exist. For example, the Anti Facebook News Feeds Group has almost 1,000 members. Even very “pro-Facebook” groups like Facebook for Business (which has almost 1,300 members) are invisible. By contrast, search for “MySpace” or “Google” and hundreds of groups show up. If Facebook is blocking any group with the name “Facebook” from showing up in search results, that’s fair game for accusations of censorship.

Facebook must be worried about users “rioting” about Platform and applications like they did when News Feeds was released.

But if Facebook is so passionate about “facilitating the flow of information”, why are they blocking the flow of information when it means negative press? As a predominant communication platform for millions of people, I believe Facebook has a social responsibility to allow equal access to the communication channels they provide no matter what the message is (as long as it’s legal).

[tags]facebook,groups,censorship[/tags]

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11 Responses to “Facebook censoring “Facebook” groups?”

N.Cauldwell Says:
July 9th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
If it’s true (and I certainly don’t get any search results), it’s a bizarre choice by the guys at Facebook – especially now that platform widens the flow of information in and out of the service. If it’s being said, people are going to hear it, and censorship won’t help in the long run.
neal24 Says:
July 9th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Have you guys noticed that you cant find the group – Facebook sneak preview group has been gone ever since they launched the platform!

Good, at least someone’s tlaking about it. I was subscribed to that group and it doesnt show up on my group list anymore.
Jackson Says:
July 9th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Zuckerberg writes that he created a group on Facebook called the “free flow of information”. So, is dicussion on Facebook not “information”.

http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=2208562130
phil Says:
July 10th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Facebook is also censoring certain application search terms that compete with their own services. “polls” and “wall”, for example, return no results in the app search on http://www.facebook.com/apps/index.php
Micah Says:
July 11th, 2007 at 11:56 am
You can still find the ‘Free Gifts’ app through search.
Jackson Says:
July 11th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
Facebook updated the search function to include Facebook groups now.
Flavio about Business 2.0 » Blog Archive » Facebook's Apps getting in users way - tools emerge to remove junk from facebook Says:
July 18th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
[...] 1. The number of groups against facebook app (not to mention all those that might just be hidden by facebook) [...]
Nathan Says:
August 31st, 2007 at 9:55 pm
You better believe that they censor. Follow the link- they sure as hell censored my group that had a legit criticism of a local politician.
andy Says:
September 3rd, 2007 at 4:18 am
either they changed it or you’re talking shite. “facebook” and even “facebook sucks” each returned 500+ groups for me
Anita Says:
August 18th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Censorship is alive and well on FACEBOOK!

Here is what I was sending:

Here is a cool radio interview with Cynthia on the RadioActive Lunch, give it a few seconds to load…

http://radioactivelunch.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=122&Itemid=1
I spoke with 6 term Congresswoman and Green Party Presidential Nominee Cynthia McKinney about her transition to the Democratic Party, Green Party values, and Cynthia’s commitment to the right to self determination, freedom, liberty, justice, accountability, and speaking truth to empower.

CLICK HERE to LISTEN:
http://radioactivelunch.com/Audio/Cynthia_McKinney_081308s.mp3

***************************************************************************
Sent to MEDIA:

I was posting information on CYNTHIA’S FACEBOOK PAGES online and I was shut down for posting on MY OWN GROUP! With ONE MEMBER on it!

I had just posted to the WALLS of 4 Facebook groups re: the radio interview link that John Judge sent me late last night.

I cannot believe this. This is deliberate and this is censoring!
(I sent no emails to anyone from this account. ALL of my work was taking place from the Groups)

I am waiting for their offices to open and then I will be calling them, but this is the kind of info that needs to go out to everyone.
Anita

Anita Stewart
New Media Powerwriting
http://www.myspace.com/anitaitconsultant
http://www.myspace.com/runcynthiarun
813-715-1696 (home)
813-312-2292 (cell)
Yahoo IM “Anita Stewart”
*******************************************************************************************
Their automated response to me:
Disabled – SPAM
Why was I disabled?
Facebook limits the number of times a user can send the same message or make the same post. Your account has been disabled for taking repeated actions that were construed as spam.
Why are there limits?
Facebook has limits in place to prevent abuse of our features and to protect users from potential spam.
What are the limits?
Unfortunately, Facebook cannot provide any specifics on the rate limits that we enforce. Please know, however, that the speed at which you are acting and the sheer number of actions you have made are both taken into account.
*****************************************************************************************
My emailed response to them:

I work for the Cynthia McKinney for President (Green Party Candidate) and I was sending info out on her GROUPS. I sent no emails to anyone from my account, but posted on GROUPS (walls and add a link sections) that have multiple members under the Cynthia McKinney topic. I sent no spam emails from my Facebook account. This is deliberate censoring in my opinion. I have notified the campaign and will be sending this out to blogs and other Cynthia McKinney supporters and MySpace and everywhere if this decision is not rescinded immediately. Of course, there is no way I can call you since you have no phone support. I will call your investors and Board of Directors instead. I do not think that this would occur to any Facebook member posting information on the site about McCain, Obama, or Ron Paul.

Anita Stewart
tarotlaydee@yahoo.com
*****************************************************************************************
After speaking to Facebook on the phone at their Palo Alto offices, the young lady that answered would not give me her name, her boss’s name or the names of the investors. She said Facebook does not answer inquiries via phone.
****************************************************************************************
Leif harmsen Says:
May 7th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
You’re surprised?! Facebook can remove (aka censor) anything they like on facebook.com because they own that domain name. That’s right, it’s their website, not yours, not mine, and not your friends’. It’s not your profile, it’s Facebook’s profile about you. There are no civil liberties or rule of law on Facebook, and nothing even resembling freedom of speech. The “Terms of Service” isn’t worth the web page it’s written on.

You wouldn’t holiday in North Korea, so why waste your time on Facebook?