The Wall Street Journal editorial board argued this week that Facebook has inappropriately censored posts defending Kyle Rittenhouse, who allegedly killed two people and wounded another in Kenosha, Wisconsin, after being chased by rioters.
Breitbart News reported last week on a Facebook policy that prohibited posts in defense of Kyle Rittenhouse. Now, the Wall Street Journal editorial board is calling out Facebook for its decision to censor speech.
“We’ve designated the shooting in Kenosha a mass murder and are removing posts in support of the shooter, including this one,” a Facebook spokesperson told Breitbart News.
On Friday, the Wall Street Journal editorial board argued that Facebook’s decision to censor posts in support of Rittenhouse limits his right to due process.
“This is an alarming resort to censorship on an issue of public concern by a company that has advertised its support for First Amendment values,” the board wrote. “Even more than most political controls on content, this blackout is troubling because it seems targeted at users’ expectation of freedom of speech and Mr. Rittenhouse’s right to due process.”
The board argues that the decision to remove posts in defense of Rittenhouse limits his ability to raise money for his legal defense. They also argue that it could potentially prejudice the jury pool.
By taking down links to pay Mr. Rittenhouse’s legal fees, the company is interfering with his ability to raise money for his defense in a way other criminal defendants might. The fact that the platform may only be used to declare Mr. Rittenhouse’s guilt, but not his innocence—though lawyers say the self-defense argument is plausible—could prejudice a jury pool in the high-profile case. One of America’s most powerful companies is effectively giving its official imprimatur to Wisconsin prosecutors’ case against a specific defendant.
Breitbart News’ Allum Bokhari published a report last week in which he highlighted the various murders and terrorists that Facebook has permitted users to defend. Shortly after the piece was published, Facebook told Bokhari that the content highlighted in the piece would eventually be removed from the platform.
Stay tuned to Breitbart News for more updates on this story.
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