London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Oct 24, 2025

Complaint filed against Facebook over online hate and disinformation

Complaint filed against Facebook over online hate and disinformation

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has filed a complaint against Facebook in France, accusing the social network of not doing enough to prevent the spread of false information and hate speech.

Euronews has contacted Facebook for a response to the complaint, which has targeted the company's subsidiaries in France and Ireland.

"We have zero tolerance for any harmful content on our platforms and we’re investing heavily to tackle hate speech and misinformation," a spokesperson said.

In their terms of use, Facebook states that users are prohibited from sharing anything that "unlawful, misleading, discriminatory or fraudulent".

"We want Facebook to be a place where people feel welcome and safe to express themselves and share their thoughts and ideas," the spokesperson continued.

"We will exercise professional diligence in providing our Products and services to you and in keeping a safe, secure, and error-free environment."

The company has also stepped up efforts to combat the spread of online misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic and says they have removed 12 million pieces of content containing harmful misinformation about the coronavirus.

But RSF has claimed that Facebook's commitments to its users are "largely based on false allegations".

"Facebook allows disinformation and hatred to spread ... in contradiction with its general conditions of use and its advertising campaigns," the organisation claimed.

The complaint has also alleged that Facebook has become "the primary hotbed" for baseless conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines in French-speaking communities.

RSF also cited a 2020 UNESCO report which identified Facebook as "the least safe" major platform for violence against women.

Among other evidence provided by RSF are death threats against Charlie Hebdo journalists and the posting of videos such as the documentary "Hold Up", which is accused of relaying conspiracy theories.

According to the NGO, Facebook's failure to tackle the spread of online hate and disinformation constitutes a "misleading commercial practice" under the French consumer code, an offence punishable by a fine of "up to 10% of average annual turnover".

RSF says they have filed the complaint in France because the country's consumer law is particularly well adapted, but have added that they are considering further action.

"As Facebook's terms of service are the same everywhere on the planet, a court ruling in France on their misleading nature could have a global impact," it said.

Facebook has not provided further comment on the legal proceedings but stated that they have "tripled" the size of their safety and security team in the last few years.

"Last month we also introduced special protections for personal Facebook profiles of journalists in France and other European countries," a spokesperson said.

"Our enforcement will never be perfect, but while nobody can eliminate misinformation and hate speech from the internet entirely, we continue using research, experts, and technologies to tackle them in the most comprehensive and effective way possible."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Microsoft AI CEO: ‘We’re making an AI that you can trust your kids to use’ — but can Microsoft rebuild its own trust before fixing the industry’s?
China and Russia Deploy Seductive Espionage Networks to Infiltrate U.S. Tech Sector
Apple’s ‘iPhone Air’ Collapses After One Month — Another Major Misstep for the Tech Giant
Graham Potter Begins New Chapter as Sweden Head Coach on Short-Term Deal
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Alleges Poison Plot via Chocolate and Jam
Lakestar to Halt External Fundraising as Investor in Revolut and Spotify
U.S. Innovation Ranking Under Scrutiny as China Leads Output Outputs but Ranks 10th
Three Men Arrested in London on Suspicion of Spying for Russia
Porsche Reverses EV Strategy as New CEO Bets on Petrol and Hybrids
Singapore’s Prime Minister Warns of ‘Messy’ Transition to Post-American Global Order
Andreessen Horowitz Sets Sights on Ten-Billion-Dollar Fund for Tech Surge
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
×