Facebook prohibits Holocaust denial
Facebook has updated its policies to ban content that "denies or distorts the Holocaust", more than two years after Mark Zuckerberg suggested such posts were allowed in the name of freedom of speech.
But now the social network's head of content policy, Monika Bickert, has said the site will remove such content and later this year will begin directing anyone who searches for Holocaust denial to "credible information" away from Facebook.
The update follows a crackdown on other forms of hate speech, including the banning of a number of white supremacist groups, as well as content around militia groups and the Qanon conspiracy theory.
The social media giant introduced the changes to combat misinformation ahead of the US presidential election next month.
"Today's announcement marks another step in our effort to fight hate on our services," Ms Bickert said. "Our decision is supported by the well-documented rise in anti-semitism globally and the alarming level of ignorance about the Holocaust. According to a recent survey of adults in the US aged 18-39, almost a quarter said they believed the Holocaust was a myth, that it had been exaggerated or they weren't sure."
The stance is a major change from comments made by Mr Zuckerberg when he said that Facebook would not remove content around Holocaust denial and conspiracy theories because those posting may not be "intentionally getting it wrong". The social network boss, who is Jewish, said that while he found the subjects "deeply offensive ", Facebook should not remove it because it is difficult to establish the intent of such comments.