A new report by Amnesty International alleges that Meta failed to remove homophobic abuse from Facebook in Hungary, contributing to distress among the LGBTQI community.
Key facts
- •The Háttér Society documented violent threats on Facebook, including statements calling for individuals to be beaten or shot.
- •Amnesty International’s report was published on Tuesday, September 8.
- •Meta’s moderation policy changes from early 2025 are cited as a factor in the spread of harmful content.
- •Activists expressed concern that the presence of such hate speech on social media negatively impacts young people exploring their gender identity or sexuality.
Amnesty International released a report on Tuesday, September 8, detailing failures by Meta to moderate homophobic and hateful content on Facebook in Hungary. The report, which incorporates findings from the Hungarian rights group Háttér Society, claims that violent threats and dehumanizing language targeting the LGBTQI community remain on the platform despite being reported as hate speech.
Reported content and platform failures
The Háttér Society identified numerous instances of extreme hate speech on Facebook, including calls for violence and references to gay people as "scum" or "rats." Amnesty International stated that Meta’s policy decisions, inadequate due diligence, and failures in risk mitigation have contributed to adverse human rights impacts for LGBTQI individuals in Hungary.
Impact of algorithms and government rhetoric
Amnesty International noted that the spread of anti-LGBTQI messages is exacerbated by the engagement-based design of Facebook’s algorithm and Meta’s policy changes implemented in early 2025. These issues occur against the backdrop of government-led campaigns in Hungary that have targeted the LGBTQI community.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by EUobserver.
