The implications of the Arabic case for Bangla content moderation on Facebook: future considerations for combating ‘Bangla’ hate speech

This article examines the shortcomings of Meta (formerly the Facebook company) in Bangla content moderation on the Facebook app. Although there has been progress in the moderation of Bangla content since 2020, there are concerns that the moderation continues to be widely inaccurate, which can have significant ramifications for freedom of expression and ethno-religious conflict. This research expands upon prior studies to analyse Meta’s challenges with moderating Arabic content, identify possible factors contributing to moderation errors and highlight shortcomings in moderating the Bangla language. Much like Arabic, Bangla (alternatively referred to as Bengali) is a language that is utilised in diverse markets characterised by ethno-religious and linguistic variations. Considering the existing knowledge on Meta’s Arabic configuration and the information at hand regarding the moderation of Bangla content, this article presents several concerns. Among them is the possibility that ethno-linguistic factors originating from West Bengal may exert an unbalanced influence on the moderation of Bangla content. This article proposes recommendations for future deliberations on how to adequately address the problem of hate speech in the Bangla language on Facebook, while also emphasising the need for specific further research.