In connection with the anti-hate-speech initiative, several advocacy groups in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) prepared a report about hate speech on social media as experienced by LGBTQ+ people in the region.

Based on a survey of 450 LGBTQI++ Arabic speakers and allies, the report stated that 77 percent had been exposed to hate speech in the weeks leading up to the survey.  Nearby a quarter of the respondents said they thought about harming themselves because of the hate messages they received. For 92 percent of them, the hate speech was encountered on Faceboo

Following the release by 22 regional and international organizations, an open letter was sent to Facebook sharing with them concerns and recommendations to prevent the spread of hate speech, most importantly put hate speech towards sexual orientation and gender identity a top priority matter by training the Facebook team in the MENA region and adjusting Facebook’s community standards to ensure the fight against hate speech, and promote equality and non-discrimination policies, in line with the international covenants, while preserving freedom of opinion and expression.

Business and Human Rights Resource Centre has shared the letter with Facebook and invited them to respond; Facebook did not respond.