WASHINGTON: Facebook made a mistake in not removing a militia group’s page earlier this week that called for armed civilians to enter Kenosha, Wisconsin, amid violent protests after police shot Jacob Blake, CEO Mark Zuckerberg says.
The page for the “Kenosha Guard” violated Facebook’s policies and had been flagged by “a bunch of people,” Zuckerberg said in a video posted Friday on Facebook. The social media giant has in recent weeks adopted new guidelines removing or restricting posts from groups that pose a threat to public safety.
Facebook took down the page Wednesday, after an armed civilian allegedly killed two people and wounded a third Tuesday night amid protests in Kenosha that followed the shooting of Blake, who is Black.
“It was largely an operational mistake,” Zuckerberg said. “The contractors, the reviewers, who the initial complaints were funneled to, didn’t, basically didn’t pick this up.”
Zuckerberg did not apologize for the error and said that so far, Facebook hasn’t found any evidence that Rittenhouse was aware of the Kenosha Guard page or the invitation it posted for armed militia members to go to Kenosha.
Facebook is now taking down posts that praise the shooting or shooter, Zuckerberg said. Yet a report Thursday by The Guardian newspaper found examples of support and even fundraising messages still being shared on Facebook and its photo-sharing service, Instagram.
Zuckerberg also contrasted the treatment of Blake, who was shot in the back by Kenosha police, and the white 17-year-old now charged in Tuesday’s slayings, Kyle Rittenhouse, who carried an AR-15-style rifle near police without being challenged. Zuckerberg also acknowledged the civil rights demonstration Friday in Washington, D.C.
“There’s just a sense that things really aren’t improving at the pace that they should be, and I think that’s really painful, really discouraging,” Zuckerberg said.
Zuckerberg also said the company is working on improving its execution, though he did not provide details. He acknowledged that the approaching presidential election would present greater challenges around polarizing content.
“There is a real risk and a continued increased risk through the election during this very sensitive and polarized and highly charged time,” he said.
Zuckerberg says Facebook erred in not removing militia post
https://arab.news/2xbz3
Zuckerberg says Facebook erred in not removing militia post
- The social media giant has in recent weeks adopted new guidelines removing or restricting posts from groups that pose a threat to public safety
- Facebook took down the page Wednesday, after an armed civilian allegedly killed two people and wounded a third Tuesday night amid protests in Kenosha
Saudi Arabia strengthens global ranking in 2026 Soft Power Index
- UAE maintains 10th place, Qatar climbs 2 spots
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia climbed three positions to 17th place in this year’s Soft Power Index, released on Tuesday by marketing consultancy Brand Finance.
Other Gulf nations also performed well, with the UAE maintaining its 10th-place ranking and Qatar and Bahrain each climbing two spots to No. 20 and No. 49, respectively, marking a rebound for the region after a softer showing in 2025.
The report indicates that the performance reflects sustained investment in proactive diplomacy, economic diversification and expanded initiatives across culture, tourism and sports.
It also comes at a time when several Western powers are recording declines in their rankings, highlighting the growing influence of Gulf states.
“The UAE remains a clear regional leader, while Saudi Arabia and Qatar have strengthened their global positions through focused economic diplomacy and international engagement,” said Savio D’Souza, managing director for the Middle East and Africa, Brand Finance.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE either maintained or improved their rankings across all key pillars, including familiarity, reputation and influence.
The Kingdom recorded notable gains, with increases of 25 points in the People & Values pillar and 12 points in the Culture & Heritage pillar.
“Although perceptions across some markets remain mixed, renewed upward movement in the rankings suggests that targeted, long-term soft power strategies are beginning to pay off,” D’Souza said.
Globally, the US retained its top position despite recording the steepest overall decline in its score, followed by China in second place. Japan rose to third place, overtaking the UK, which ranked fourth, while Germany placed fifth.
Brand Finance defines “soft power” as a “nation’s ability to influence the preferences and behaviors of various actors in the international arena (states, corporations, communities, publics, etc.) through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion.”
Each nation is assessed across 55 individual metrics, producing an overall score out of 100 and a ranking from first to 193rd.
