Facebook takes action against Boogaloo groups

Facebook wants to put a stop to the spread of 'Boogaloo' groups and any other user pages affiliated to the movement. File picture: IANS

Facebook wants to put a stop to the spread of 'Boogaloo' groups and any other user pages affiliated to the movement. File picture: IANS

Published Jun 8, 2020

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One of the world's largest social media networks Facebook wants to put a stop to the spread of 'Boogaloo' groups and any other user pages affiliated to the movement.

The new movement of armed, far-right adherents is gaining attention in the United States, not just for its seemingly strange name but over its alleged links to the violence that has taken place across the country following largely peaceful protests over police brutality.

Adherents of the loosely organised "Boogaloo" movement appear to believe in armed, anti-government actions that could lead to a second US civil war.

According to reports by The Guardian, Facebook will no longer recommend such groups to members of similar associations.

This comes after two of three men charged on Wednesday with plotting violence at a Las Vegas anti-racism protest participated in Boogaloo groups on Facebook, this according to an FBI criminal complaint.

According to The Guardian, a series of reports this year by researchers and media have drawn attention to the loose movement and its propagation on social media. In April, an advocacy group called the Tech Transparency Project warned that Boogaloo followers were discussing taking up arms while promoting protests to "liberate" states from coronavirus restrictions.

The use of Boogaloo and other related terms which accompanied pictures of weapons and portraying action such as preparing for conflict were banned on the 1st of May.

Many Boogaloo participants identify with white nationalist groups or militias, researchers say, but others are gun-rights advocates or just anti-government overreach and even support Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality.

One of those charged on Wednesday, Stephen Parshall, had publicly "liked" several Boogaloo-themed groups, his personal page showed until Facebook closed it after the case was filed. He had also posted a picture of a Confederate battle flag. 

IOL TECH

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