Mykhailo FedorovMinister for Digital Transition in Ukraine, wrote a long letter to the address of Nick Cleggpresident of Meta Global Affairs, to highlight a “new wave” of blocks on Facebook and Instagram against Ukrainian usersin particular of “opinion leaders, bloggers and activists”.
“This represents a serious problem for us – writes Fedorov – because it prevents us from spreading the truth about the war”. Fedorov writes that, since the beginning of the conflict, many Ukrainian citizens, belonging to different categories of professionals, have engaged in sharing on Meta’s social networks news and initiatives useful for the purchase of vehicles and materials to be sent to the front. “Everyone contributes to the resistance – writes the minister – and for this reason the blockade represents a problem for those who want to help the army and civilians in difficulty”.
31-year-old Fedorov, who also performs the functions of in the Ukrainian government deputy premierand that in an interview with Italian Tech explained how cyberwar works “better than bullets”, he wrote to Clegg that “the high levels of decisions made by Meta, based on incorrect reports, suggests a vast problem that requires a systemic solution. […] Something is wrong with the quality of moderation ”.
War in Ukraine
Mykhailo Fedorov: “Cyberwar works better than bullets”
by Pier Luigi Pisa
For Fedorov, also, Meta should review the judgment on the posts they contain ‘insults’ and ‘prohibited words’ by the regulation of the two social platforms controlled by the company. From the use of these terms, according to the minister, most of the account blocking.
“We hope you will discuss our point of view with those who develop Meta’s Community Standards that punish people for using words from a list drawn up without taking into account linguistics institutions and local experts,” says Fedorov. All this, according to the Ukrainian government exponent, “punishes people who react emotionally to war”.
Since February 24th, the day in which Putin’s army invaded Ukrainethe young minister fights on the front line. Fedorov does not carry a rifle, his weapon is Twitter: on the social he asked Big Tech to leave Russia. The minister has sent e-mails and letters with the same to thousands of other companies appeal: “I personally signed 4 thousand”. In many cases Fedorov achieved his purpose: Apple, PayPal e Netflix they are among the companies that have suspended sales and services to Russian citizens.
On May 19th, a BruxellesFedorov had met Nick Clegg himself for ask the Menlo Park company for help. “The war forces us to interact with Meta much more often” wrote the Ukrainian minister.
On that occasion too Fedorov had spoken to Clegg about the urgency to see again “The approach to moderation in times of war”. The meeting ended with a handshake and a series of promises from Meta. Which evidently, according to what the Ukrainian minister writes, have not yet been maintained.