New Delhi: Facebook and Instagram users were unable to use #Sikh (hashtag Sikh) for the past three months. The two social media platforms admitted the same on Wednesday night.
Over the last week, members of the global Sikh community started raising concerns over the blocking of the hashtag Sikh, an issue that gained more attention due to the anniversary of “Operation Blue Star“.
Operation Blue Star military action carried out between 1 and 8 June 1984 to remove militant religious leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers from the buildings of the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in Amritsar, Punjab. The operation was considered a success, at the end of which Bhindranwale and his group of militants were killed.
Members questions social giants
Canadian author Rupi Kaur questioned the social media giants over the apparent blocking of the hashtag.
“Zuckerberg says FB’s principles prohibit him from blocking Trump as he incites violence & hate. Meanwhile, as Sikhs raise their voice to mark the injustices of 1984: Sikh hashtags are blocked,” Kaur tweeted.
Mistakenly blocked
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook on Wednesday night, responded and noted that it had carried out an investigation and found that the hashtag had been “mistakenly blocked” on March 7 following a report that was inaccurately reviewed by its teams.
“We became aware that these hashtags were blocked today following feedback we received from the community and quickly moved to unblock them. Our processes fell down here, and we’re sorry,” the digital platform said in an official statement.
Instagram added that it understands this is an incredibly important, painful time for the Sikh community.
“We designed hashtags to allow people to come together and share with one another. It’s never our intention to silence the voices of this community, we are taking the necessary steps so this doesn’t happen again.”