As you know, I write many statuses, but one in particular bugged you. It is worth noting that until today, all of my posts were public. Due to increased harassment — people reporting fully clothed selfies as “nudity” — I have retroactively made my posts private, as reflected in the newer screenshots. My post and his response are below:

But this wasn’t the post that bugged you the most, Facebook. This post still remains on my profile, untouched by the Facebook Overlords. Your source of irritation was created after I swiftly unfriended the former co-worker and used his comment as a public example to emphasize the importance of reading comprehension:

He then wrote me a message, dripping in white tears, including a screenshot of my post about him. I chose to respond publicly:

Now this is where your response gets very interesting, Facebook. This post was removed because it did not “follow the Facebook Community Standards.” Now remember, a removal is not an individual friend reported the post — as those notifications look different — but instead by an invisible Facebook staffer. So I looked over my status to interrogate myself: was it inappropriate? Did I actually take it to far? My first thought revolved around the idea of a “public threat” of posting his private message. The thing is, though, said message was in my inbox. So posting it could be deemed unethical, but this is not a violation of any policy. And then I realized: the “white fuckery” must have hurt one of your moderator’s feelings, because as we know white feelings almost always trump historical facts. Although we know that white fuckery is legitimate, that’s beside the point. The issue at hand is that you didn’t actually let me know which part of my status violated which particular Community Standard.

Simply put, Facebook, your Community Standards are unfairly practiced. According to La Sha from Kinfolk Collective, “nigger” is typically allowed whereas “cracker” will lead to a ban. La Sha organized #FBBlackout to callout the white supremacy of Facebook, and she is not the only one with documentation. I know from personal experience that “coon” and “white fuckery” are not deemed acceptable:

I must give you credit, Facebook, you’re very clear in your threats. Asserting my Blackness and calling out whiteness will get be blocked:

The removal of my “Don Lemon is a coon” post actually happened weeks after the initial status was posting. This tells me that you, Facebook, are reviewing my old posts to find suspicious activity. Suspicious activity being code for a Black man telling the truth about white supremacy and coon-like antics, of course. What’s the point of Community Standards when they only protect a white folks?

Additionally, your name policy needs some serious work in regards to protecting activists from harassment. And this policy should not involve asking a user’s friends to verify a name. Let’s not forget what happened and is still happening with drag queens on your website.

After going by “Aye Anthoknees” for my own protection, I could only use official documentation to prove my “real name.” I’ll give you this: your stated intention for the policy is the protection of others is correct. Using real identities often means less trolling because folks are no longer anonymous. But when activists are using social media for consciousness raising around battling oppression, using our real name on Facebook leaves us open to harassment. Since my documents don’t list “Anthoknees” — not a far stretch from Anthony, and also linked to by very real name — as my legal name, I have been forced to revert back to my birth name after a 7-day notice. But it is clear from the removal of posts and the forced name change:

Facebook is an agent of white supremacy.

While I use a case study of my own Facebook, it is clear that this is not my problem alone. In using social media to speak out against interlocking systems of oppression, folks are being silenced. Facebook, we want you to know that we will not be silenced.

Big Brother isn’t the only one watching.

Love,

Anthony Williams (@anthoknees)