Non-profits push Facebook to change leadership over 'hatred, bigotry'

Facebook, reeling from criticism about Russian influence campaigns on its platform, now faces calls for changes to its top management from a collection of 31 civil rights groups.

Organisations including Muslim Advocates, MoveOn, the Southern Poverty Law Centre and the National LGBTQ Task Force, co-signed a letter asking chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg to step down from his role as board chairperson.

It also requested that chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg leave the board entirely.

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The groups are calling for three new directors to be added, representing their diverse user base, and the dismissal of policy executives Joel Kaplan and Kevin Martin.

"We write to express our profound disappointment regarding Facebook’s role in generating bigotry and hatred towards vulnerable communities and civil rights organisations," the group wrote.

"The public has given your company the benefit of the doubt for far too long and ignorance is no longer an excuse. It’s become abundantly clear that, as currently constituted, your leadership team is unable to adequately address the valid concerns of the civil rights community."

It’s the latest in a steady drumbeat of criticism of the company, as more is revealed about the Russian campaign.

On Monday, a report commissioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee explained that on Facebook and Instagram, Russian operatives ran a campaign more extensive than previously understood, targeting specific groups of users, including black Americans, veterans and feminists.