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Release records related to anti-Rohingya violence in Myanmar, US court orders Facebook

WION Web Team
Washington Updated: Sep 24, 2021, 01:43 AM IST
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Facebook (representative image). Photograph:(Reuters)

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Facebook has been directed to hand over records related to deleted accounts, which were linked to the anti-Rohingya violence in Myanmar. A federal judge in the US has ruled. These accounts were shut down in 2018. The social media platform has also been criticised for failing to provide critical data to investigators

A federal judge in the US has directed the Facebook to hand over records related to deleted accounts, which were linked to the anti-Rohingya violence in Myanmar, a report by news agency Reuters said on Thursday. These accounts were shut down in 2018.   

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Social media platform Facebook has been criticised by the judge in Washington DC for failing to provide critical data to investigators, who are seeking to prosecute the country for international crimes against the Muslim minority Rohingya.  

It also rejected the firm’s arguments of protecting privacy as “rich with irony”.  

In the ruling, the judge said, "Facebook taking up the mantle of privacy rights is rich with irony. News sites have entire sections dedicated to Facebook's sordid history of privacy scandals."   

Citing a US law, which bars electronic communications companies from disclosing user information, Facebook has been refusing to release the data required in this case.    

The judge has ruled since the accounts were deleted, they would not be covered under the law and not sharing the content would "compound the tragedy that has befallen the Rohingya".  

(With inputs from agencies)