AC Executive Director Tess Davis Speaks With NPR About Facebook Antiquities Ban
July 28, 2020
Facebook announced on June 23 that it would begin to delete any content on Facebook or Instagram “that attempts to buy, sell or trade in historical artifacts.”
In examining the practical implications of this policy on July 28 for NPR’s Morning Edition, International Correspondent Jane Arraf spoke with Antiquities Coalition Executive Director Tess Davis, who called the prohibition a good first step—especially given the spike in art crime facilitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which the Antiquities Coalition reported on back in May.
“Now is a particularly critical time because the COVID-19 crisis—it hasn’t spared anything, including our cultural heritage,” Davis said. “And above-board dealers, galleries, auction houses, even museums, they’re all shuttered, but the international black market is staying wide open for business. And in particular, Facebook never shuts down.”