Facebook and Grey New York Work to Combat White Supremacist Hate Speech in the U.K.

What is hate speech, exactly? However one may feel about the tension between free speech and language as a weapon, there is little doubt that various forms of extremist behavior and the intentionally offensive content that comes with them have grown more visible online in recent years. Some point to social media as the primary culprit. In order to combat that perception and help some individuals find their way back from the extremes, Facebook has partnered with ad agency Grey New York and Small Steps, an organization seeking to help counter far-right extremism in the U.K., for a new campaign. The work centers on this profile of a now-former member of a white supremacist group. He is one of a group of Small Steps trainers and supporters who are covering their old racist tattoos. [kickout id="1"] The project also includes a series of Instagram videos in which graffiti artists explain—and proceed to cover up—symbols popular among white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups. [kickout id="2"] [kickout id="3"] It's part of a Facebook initiative called Create Against Hate, which brings disparate young creators together and "aims to eradicate and make a stance against hate, discrimination, and extremism on our platforms by establishing a movement within the creative industry and with partners like Small Steps," according to a spokesperson for the social network. "Having joined the Far Right as a teenager, I know young people in particular are at risk of being groomed into the movement," said Small Steps founder Nigel Bromage. "That’s why we need to be talking to them directly: online, and in a way that they can relate to." This is not the only recent creative project to target extremism. Multicultural agency Alma recently worked with the ex-neo-Nazi behind Free Radicals on a campaign to help counter internet search queries that often facilitate extremist ideologies. CREDITS Agency: Grey New York Media Partner: Facebook Client: Small Steps Ltd. Campaign: "Love, brought to you by hate." Global Chief Creative Officer: John Patroulis Deputy Chief Creative Officers: Jeff Stamp & Rob Lenois Creative Directors: Jackie Blaze & Katherine O’Brien Art Directors: Megan Curry & Will Malone Copywriters: Anne Lacy & Charlie Quiroz Strategist: Joseph Day VP, Account Director: Greg Sacharoff Project Manager: Arie Andrews Executive Production: Townhouse Head of Integrated Production: James McPherson SVP Associate Head of Integrated Production: Tania Salter Integrated Producer: Amanda Pilnik Lead Creative Content Architect: Stephen Samelko Production Company: Town London Head of Production: Jacqueline Dobrin Head of Broadcast: Callum Johnston Head of Production Affairs: Sarah Brown Director: Coral Amy Brown Producer: Rosa Junkovic Director of Photography: Diana Olifirova Camera Assistant: Nacho Muñez De León Sound Recordist: Nina Rice Talent: Nigel Bromage Tattoo Artist: Delphine Noitztoy, The Lacemakers Sweatshop Editorial : Bandit Post Production: Method Studios Color: Company3 Music and Sound: Human Editor: Chris Kursel Assistant Editor: Evan Johnston Executive Producer: Laura Relovsky Post Production: Method Studios Managing Director: Stuart Robinson Executive Producer: Angela Lupo Senior Supervising Producer: Tsiliana Jolson VFX Production Coordinator: Kristin Engdahl Flame Supervisor: Tom McCullough Flame Artist: Stephen Morris Flame Artist: Mark Woit Color Correct: Company3 Colorist: Sofie Borup Producer: Alexandra Lubrano Audio Post by Post: Human Executive Producer: James Dean Wells Creative Lead: Mike Jurasits Composer(s): Craig DeLeon & Daryl Pinsdorf Sound Design: Daryl Pinsdorf Post Producer: Craig Caniglia Mix Engineer: TJ Dumser Audio Assistant: Robert Suchecki Historical Footage: Getty Images Key Account Executive: Lori Levine