The company claimed that it is applying the measure to maintain the “security” of its users. The blocking generated widespread rejection among members of the Bitcoin community.
The social network Facebook is censoring all published content that contains the #bitcoin hashtag. Since last October 31st, dozens of users have reported that the situation only covers the name of the pioneering cryptocurrency. Supposedly, the company is applying the measure to protect the “security” on its platform.
When search with the #bitcoin hashtag in the “search” section, the system does not show results. However, it does display a message highlighting that there is a restriction on the posts.
Facebook explains that they want to “keep [their] community safe.” They say that they have temporarily hidden “posts with the #bitcoin hashtag.” They allege that “certain content in those posts violates [their] Community standards.”
No one knows yet if Facebook’s decision relates to alleged cases of scams, regulations, or other measures to make conversations about cryptocurrency invisible. Searches that relate to other crypto assets such as #ethereum, #dash, and #bitcoincash, did show results.
However, such blocking does not seem to be system-wide. When making multiple searches from various IP addresses, it was possible to observe that some searches did show results with the #bitcoin hashtag, while the majority of them did not.
Members of Bitcoin Community Give Their Opinion about Facebook
Different opinions emerged among members of the Bitcoin community regarding censorship against Bitcoin-oriented content. The users of social networks Twitter and Reddit took the situation with irony, humor, and reflections on what happened.
Reddit user produit1 highlighted that situation like this lead to higher community resolution. In his message, he said that “we are all clearly onto something big if there is such division between people and corporations over Bitcoin. This is truly the most revolutionary thing that has happened in the history of money, and wealth and it is impossible to stop it.”
Ironically, the user soontobesilenced shared another comment on Reddit: “Oh, my God! We are so oppressed! “On his Twitter account, @perjez01 took it with humor, writing: “Did Facebook seriously censor #bitcoin? What a joke! Anyway, (Facebook) will soon become obsolete!”
In the past, Facebook’s restrictions on Bitcoin have even covered the ad space. In January 2018, both Facebook and Instagram banned cryptocurrency and Initial Coin Offering (ICO) ads.
They partially revoked the measure six months later with an easing for crypto assets, but kept it for ICOs. At the time, Facebook said that it had “looked at the best way to refine this policy: allow some ads and, at the same time, work to ensure they are safe.”
The growth of the main cryptocurrency is increasingly evident worldwide. Social networks have served as a means of sharing opinions, data, and recommendations on Bitcoin. No one knows yet why Facebook blocked the #bitcoin hashtag, but it has given a lot to talk about among users of social networks.
By Alexander Salazar
