Facebook will remove posts praising Atlanta shooting

Facebook is taking action against hateful posts and misinformation surrounding the mass shooting that left eight people dead in Atlanta earlier this week.

On March 16, Robert Aaron Long allegedly and killed eight people at three different Atlanta businesses: Young’s Asian Massage Parlor, Aromatherapy Spa, and Gold Spa. Seven of the victims were women. Six were identified as Asian.

According to the company, it’s designating the shooting as a “violating event.” This basically means that Facebook will remove any content on its platform which praises or supports the shooting or the shooter. Such posts are in violation of the company’s policies on promoting or inciting violence. Facebook has classified shootings, such as the one at the Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin last summer, with this designation. 

In addition, the social networking company will not let anyone create a new account on Facebook or Instagram using the same name as the suspected shooter. 

Over the past day, screenshots of a post purportedly from Long’s Facebook account have spread online. Facebook has confirmed that the posting is a fake.

“We’ve confirmed that these screenshots are fake and we’re removing them from the platform for violating our policies,” said a Facebook spokesperson in a comment provided to Mashable.

While the Facebook account is fake, the company has found an Instagram account that is actually linked to the shooter. Facebook says it removed the account, which has been inactive for a while, and it will continue to monitor its platforms for additional accounts belonging to the shooter and remove them.

Facebook also says it’s in touch with law enforcement concerning the shooting.

#StopAsianHate and other comments and hashtags supportive of the Asian American community quickly spread online following the attack. The past year has seen a in racist rhetoric and violence targeting Asians across the U.S.