FAC Letter to Facebook
Below is the text of a letter sent by FAC to Facebook:
Facebook, Inc. SENT VIA EMAIL
Attn: Legal Department [email protected]
1 Hacker Way
Menlo Park, California 94025
RE: YOUR POLICY ON PERSONS REQUIRED TO REGISTER
To Whom It May Concern:
The Florida Action Committee, Inc. (FAC) is a non-profit, public safety advocacy organization comprised of more than 2000 members. Among our membership are persons required to register as sex offenders, their family members, treatment providers, and those interested in civil and human rights. Our organization advocates for effective policies that follow empirical research and best practices.
Earlier this week, FAC was alerted to a proposed change in Facebook’s Community Standard Policy. Specifically, Facebook’s policy of prohibiting “statements to commit violence… unless the target is… described as having carried out violent crimes or sexual offenses” The policy updates can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards/recentupdates/all_updates/
Although it appears that the “statements to commit violence” exemption that would allow threats of violence against persons required to register has been struck through, it is concerning to us that Facebook even considered a policy that would incite and condone vigilante action.
FAC is also strongly opposed to your blanket policy of discriminating against all individuals who are required to register – especially those who have served their sentence and are living lawfully. Not all persons required to register are homogenous and this population has among the lowest recidivism rates of all classification of offenses. The ability to re-connect with family, friends, a support system and function in modern society (which includes access to social media) inhibits re-offense.
It is my hope that Facebook will reconsider their position when it comes to these people and at least afford them the opportunity to petition to be allowed into the Facebook community.
Sincerely,
Gail Colletta, President
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LOVE THIS!
Awesome letter! Thank You, FAC!
Gail, great letter but I wouldn’t waste my time with Facebook.
All letters with Gail’s name attached are brilliant, it seems.
They might look to Twitter, where a number of persons required to register have helped educate the public.
Twitter’s terms of use, rather than dictating who may or may not use it, instead say that their site may not be used for sexual exploitation, no matter who you are. This condition has been violated, but not, to my knowledge, by anyone on the registry!
There was one registrant who got kicked off the site, but it had to do with disputes or something (I’ll let him speak for himself if he wishes).
Thank you