Facebook extends ban on hate speech to ‘white nationalists’

SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook is extending its ban on hate speech to prohibit the promotion and support of white nationalism and white separatism.

The company previously allowed such material even though it has long banned “white supremacists.” The social network says it hadn’t applied its ban to expressions of white nationalism because it previously linked such expressions with broader concepts of nationalism and separatism — such as American pride or Basque separatism, both of which are still allowed.

But civil rights groups and academics called this view “misguided” and have long pressured the company to change its stance. Facebook says it concluded after months of “conversations” with them that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organized hate groups.