JUST days after an appalling attack targeting Muslim people in New Zealand a user on Facebook amongst many celebrated the gunman’s actions. A discovery on Facebook showed a profile that was using a screenshot of the live video broadcast via social media as his profile picture, adding the words, “We must become wolves again and make ourselves known as such.”

The massacre which saw 49 people killed had many people pointing the blame at social media but with the tabloid press spending several years now demonising Muslims and refugees, along with a number of politicians making racist comments and right-wing activists receiving unchallenged airtime, it is not fair to lay the blame on one doorstep.

However, it is fair to say that Facebook are not doing enough to curb extremist views on their website. Only two weeks ago evidence of hate speech towards Muslims and politicians, taken from a Facebook group page was published resulting in 14 Conservative members receiving suspensions.

This week Facebook failed to ban an account with extreme views, offensive pictures and comments. The US account holder named Andrew Biroski used a picture of the New Zealand gunman holding his gun as he approached a mosque which Facebook agreed was offensive and removed from the site.