On June 3, 2020, Facebook acknowledged that they have been silencing the international Sikh community by blocking the use of hashtag #Sikh on Instagram and Facebook platforms. SALDEF immediately reached out to Facebook to demand a reversal of this block, and to solicit answers on why this happened. This week, Sikhs across the world remember the shaeedi (martyrdom) of their 5th Guru, Guru Arjun Sahib, and also remember the anniversary of the Indian government’s 1984 invasion of the Harmandir Sahib Complex, and dozens of other Sikh historical sites in India. Facebook initially corrected the issue on Instagram, and after SALDEF’s continued pressure and engagement, they allowed the use of #Sikh on its flagship Facebook platform.
Click Here to read the entire statement
SALDEF has continued to ask Facebook to respond to four main questions:
- Clarify what post triggered the blocking of #Sikh and timeline leading up to yesterday’s complete block.
- Why did they block #Sikh in its entirety and not just the post that was brought to their attention?
- What steps are you taking to ensure the Sikh community or any other community that this does not happen again?
- How do you ensure that Facebook’s policies are applied fairly?
Please sign this petition to pressure Facebook to respond?