Facebook extends ban on hate speech to 'white nationalists'

The social network said Wednesday that it didnt apply the ban previously to expressions of white nationalism because it linked such expressions with broader concepts of nationalism and separatism such as American pride or Basque separatism .

Also on Wednesday, a man convicted on state murder charges in a deadly car attack at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, pleaded guilty to federal hate crime charges.

As part of Wednesdays change, people who search for terms associated with white supremacy on Facebook will be directed to a group called Life After Hate, which was founded by former extremists who want to help people leave the violent far-right.

Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, says the racial justice group warned Facebook to the growing dangers of white nationalists on its platform years ago and that he was glad to see Wednesdays announcement.

Twitter does not currently ban white nationalists or white separatists, though its hateful conduct policy forbids the promotion of violence or threats against people on the basis of race, gender, religion and other protected categories.

YouTube also bans hate speech and says it removes content promoting violence or hatred on the basis of these categories.

Madihha Ahussain, a special counsel for anti-Muslim bigotry at the nonprofit Muslim Advocates, said whats needed now is more information on how Facebook will define white nationalist content and how it will enforce its new rules.

Original article