RightsCon Toronto 2018

Silicon Valley companies have long-denied responsibility for the bigotry that takes place on their platforms, allowing social media sites and web hosting services to become organizing hubs for white supremacist violence. These denials are reinforced by a news media and administration that minimizes or dismisses threats of violence perpetrated by white men while quickly labeling Muslims, immigrants and suspects of color as extremists or terrorists.

At the urging of consumers, civil rights groups and regulators, some of these companies have taken steps to reduce the harm on their platforms while others have made minimal efforts.

This session will discuss the ecosystem that has allowed these companies to deny their roles in promoting white supremacist organizing and violence, civil society efforts to urge companies to take responsibility for their platforms, and how these companies can, have, and should address these problems.