Anger over Facebook ‘hate site’

A concerned Australian internet user has criticised Facebook for failing to take down an extremist Australian Facebook page, ‘‘Stop the Mosques’’.

The Facebook group – which has more than 85,000 ‘‘likes’’ and followers – has as its tagline: ‘‘Our concerns is not the building where people pray it’s the clash of civilisation that Islam wants to win . . . Our stand is against that.’’

It links to an Australian organisation ‘‘Future Now’’ that invites visitors to download a hate-filled flyer accusing Muslims of sexual crimes.

Facebook, which is under pressure from advertisers to rid its social media platform of racist and inflammatory content, has not so far commented on whether the Facebook page is breaching its community standards.

Jessica Adams, an Australian who previously worked in New Zealand as The Sunday Star-Times’ astrologer, has been encouraging people to report the Facebook page.

‘‘I am horrified that the funerals are taking place as I send this email and that the grieving families could so easily stumble across the repulsive hate speech racist Facebook page,’’ Adams said.

Facebook spokesman Ben McConaghy indicated on Tuesday it would be seeking to find out more about the group.

Facebook’s global head of policy development Monika Bickert declined to comment when asked about the Facebook group, saying she was not aware of it.

Lotto, Westpac and TSB have pulled social media advertising in the wake of the Christchurch shootings.