A status update on Facebook’s rules about violent speech

Facebook is reviewing its own rules about hate speech and other controversial content posted on its website. A growing chorus of women’s rights groups called on advertisers to boycott the site for allowing content that promoted sexism and violence towards women.

Until now, Facebook has dealt with complaints about hate speech on a more case by case basis. A statement on the company’s blog reads:

“It has become clear that our systems to identify and remove hate speech have failed to work as effectively as we would like.”

Jaclyn Friedman, executive director of Women, Action, & the Media, one of the groups that lobbied for the change, joins Marketplace Tech host Ben Johnson to discuss.