Facebook has banned 12 groups and individuals from any of its services including Instagram for “spreading hate”.
Facebook said the decision was taken because it bans users who "proclaim a violent or hateful mission or are engaged in acts of hate or violence".
“Individuals and organisations who spread hate, or attack or call for the exclusion of others on the basis of who they are, have no place on Facebook. Under our dangerous individuals and organisations policy, we ban those who proclaim a violent or hateful mission or are engaged in acts of hate or violence,"
Those now banned are
- The British National Party and its ex-leader Nick Griffin
- Britain First, its leader Paul Golding and former deputy leader Jayda Fransen
- English Defence League and its founding member Paul Ray
- Knights Templar International and its promoter Jim Dowson
- National Front and its leader Tony Martin
- Jack Renshaw, a neo-Nazi who plotted to murder a Labour MP
A spokesman for Facebook clarified what would now be done to the pages the groups and individuals had run on its site. All those named would be prevented from having a presence on any Facebook service.
In addition, praise and support for the groups or named individuals would no longer be allowed.
Note the section I put in bold. That would apply to US groups or (orange) individuals posting praise or support for at least one according to the BBC,
The list also includes Britain First, which was already banned, but this latest action will prohibit support for it on any of the US firm's services.
Including support from other on the list by a certain individual?
Donald Trump has shared a series of Islamophobic tweets from far-right extremist group Britain First, sparking condemnation for spreading its "deplorable" ideology to a global audience.
The first video, originally shared by deputy leader Jayda Fransen's account, claimed to show "Muslim migrants beating up a Dutch boy on crutches".
….
His early-morning Twitter frenzy came days after Ms Fransen was arrested over a speech made at a rally in Belfast - the latest in a series of incidents over alleged hate speech, religious harrassment and incitement by Britain First members
This move is also clearly an attempt by Facebook to prevent any accusations of undue influence in the run-up to the European Parliament elections to be held in the UK on May 23 (The elections are held on the traditional national voting day so goes on to May 26 in other countries, only when counting starts to prevent biasing the votes in later voting countries.)