Special to WorldTribune.com

Social media shaming made its way to Israel’s Knesset recently after a Facebook accusation of racism led a 47-year-old Israeli to commit suicide.

The Knesset’s Science and Technology Committee pressed Julie de Bailliencourt, Facebook’s safety policy manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Simon Milner, Facebook’s policy director for UK, Middle, East and Africa on the responsibility Facebook carries for its content and whether it goes far enough in taking down offensive or false content.

Last month, Ariel Ronis, a manager at the Interior Ministry’s Population, Immigration and Border Crossing Authority took his own life after a Facebook post accusing him of racism received thousands of shares.

“Up until two days ago my life looked rosy,” Ronis wrote in a Facebook post rejecting the claim of racism. “Each (Facebook share) was a sharpened arrow driven into my flesh.

“My name, which I worked for years to build, is now synonymous with the worst description that could be linked to me — racism.”

Member of Knesset (MK) Michal Rozin said that Facebook does not provide adequate response to complaints about offensive content and called upon the company to better handle problem cases.

De Bailliencourt told the Knesset that Facebook has a zero tolerance policy for bullying, harassment and threats, and that feedback is ranked in terms of risk but she would not say the period of time it takes Facebook to take care of even the most pressing cases.

MK Revital Swid added that “it is time that Facebook has a manned presence and representatives in Israel that people will know who to turn to. They hide behind an overseas address and don’t provide responses.”

De Bailliencourt vowed that Facebook will employ Hebrew speakers, saying the company strives to understand local culture and language to better deal with responses from users.

  Ariel Ronis, Facebook officials grilled by Knesset after Israeli’s suicide, racism accusation, WorldTribune.com