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- Facebook banned 12 far-right organisations in the UK from its platforms Thursday, deeming them "dangerous."
- The ban means organisations such as the British National Party and the EDL can’t have any presence on Facebook or Instagram.
- Posts from Facebook users which support the banned people and organisations will be removed.
- Big tech firms have taken steps in recent months to remove far-right individuals and content from their platforms.
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Facebook has permanently banned accounts belonging to fascist and far-right individuals and organisations, labelling them too "dangerous" to be on its platform.
The list of banned entities includes the British National Party (BNP), the English Defence League (EDL), Knights Templar, the National Front, and Britain First. Four of the five are considered racist and nationalist organisations by the anti-racism advocacy group Hope Not Hate.
Facebook has also banned the BNP’s former leader Nick Griffin, Britain First’s current and former leaders Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, the EDL’s Paul Ray, Knights Templar International leader Jim Dowson, National Front leader Tony Martin, and Jack Renshaw, a convicted child sex offender and one-time spokesman for neo-Nazi organisation National Action.
Read more: Facebook has banned far-right activist Tommy Robinson for spreading Islamophobia
The ban, which came into effect on Thursday, means none of the named figures or organisations can have an account, Page, or Group on Facebook, or an account on Instagram. Posts from Facebook users expressing support or praise for the 12 groups or individuals will also be removed.
A Facebook spokeswoman said in a statement: "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.
"The individuals and organisations we have banned today violate this policy, and they will no longer be allowed a presence on Facebook or Instagram."
The ban comes after Facebook deleted the accounts of far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
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Source: Business Insider – sghosh@businessinsider.com (Shona Ghosh)