On January 2025, Maung Sawyeddollah, a survivor of the atrocities committed against the Rohingya people, filed a significant complaint with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against Meta Platforms, Inc. The complaint accuses the social media giant of playing a role in facilitating the spread of content that incited violence against the Rohingya in Myanmar. According to Amnesty International, which published a statement on the matter, Sawyeddollah is urging the SEC to look into Meta’s alleged violations of securities laws.
Sawyeddollah’s complaint asserts that Meta overstated its actions and policies to shareholders while being aware of the risks posed by its platform. Despite receiving warnings from civil society regarding the potential use of Facebook to incite violence against the Rohingya, the company allegedly chose not to reveal these dangers to investors. Sawyeddollah also highlights securities laws, which mandate accurate information about a corporation’s interests for investors, arguing that Meta deceived shareholders about its involvement in the 2017 atrocities.
The complaint is bolstered by support from Amnesty International, which has criticized Meta for refusing a shareholder proposal to conduct a human rights impact assessment. The organization noted that Meta allowed anti-Rohingya content to be disseminated on Facebook before the 2017 crisis, which they attribute to a deficit in content moderation and resource allocation. Amnesty’s 2022 report indicated that Meta’s algorithms exacerbated the situation by promoting content that incited violence and hatred against the Rohingya.
This legal action comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Meta concerning various regulatory measures, including activity bans and fines over data protection issues. Recently, Meta’s announcement to terminate its fact-checking programs has been criticized widely, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights openly condemning the company’s decision and its impact on the spread of hateful content on its platforms (source).
The unfolding legal landscape concerning Meta’s alleged contributions to the violence against the Rohingya remains under close scrutiny, particularly its implications on corporate accountability and investor transparency in cases of human rights abuses.