The War that Reshaped the Middle East Forever

How Facebook Became a Tool for Genocide in Myanmar

In 2017, the Rohingya people in Myanmar faced a genocide brought on by Buddhist extremists and the military. But something else was fueling the violence, inciting people, and spreading hatred - Facebook and their algorithm was helping tear the country apart.

Over 700,000 Rohingya people fled violence perpetrated by the military in their home country of Myanmar in 2017, seeking safety in neighboring Bangladesh. The majority of them continue to live, years later, in Kutupalong Refugee Camp. Since the beginning of this crisis, UNICEF has been working with the Bangladesh government and other partners to deliver relief to children and families living in the refugee camps and settlements and in neighboring host communities. Help UNICEF continue to support Rohingya refugee children and families. Your donation can make a difference.

Check out all the sources for this episode here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_...

Thank you to Max Fisher for the thorough reporting on this topic. His book The Chaos Machine goes into a lot more detail on this and other instances of harm fueled by social media platforms: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/tit...

Special thanks to Shayna Bauchner, Researcher, Human Rights Watch

Follow The Podcast & Give It A 5 Star Review

Disclaimer: This show isn't meant to impersonate Johnny Harris. All Content Rights Belong To Johnny Harris.

-- Chapters --

0:00 Intro

3:47 The Rohingya People and Myanmar’s Political Reform

7:52 Rising Ethnic Tension

21:37 Conclusion

23:33 Credits