Facebook blasted for banning RAF’s charity disability campaign while allowing ISIS beheading videos stay
The charity which teaches the disabled to fly has been dubbed 'discriminatory' and in breach of diversity guidelines by the internet giant
AN RAF heroes charity which teaches the disabled to fly has been banned by Facebook — while ISIS beheading videos can stay.
The web giant said an inspirational ad campaign by Flying Scholarships for Disabled People breached its diversity guidelines.
But extremist material is still widely available despite Facebook’s vow to clean up its pages.
Charity trustee Andrew Smart said: “This beggars belief.”
The Flying Scholarships for Disabled People was set to roll out a series of adverts showing real pilots it helped teach.
But Facebook insisted inspirational quotes such as “I am Damian. I have one leg. I am a pilot” breached its diversity guidelines by referring to the person’s disability.
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It said in an automated email to the charity: “Such copy can feel personal in nature and we don’t want users to feel singled out.”
Meanwhile, searches yesterday unearthed hundreds of hate-filled ISIS posts and execution videos on Facebook — despite its previous pledge to crack down on extremist material.
Last night ex Air Chief Marshal Michael Graydon said it was “extraordinary” the charity’s ads were blocked.
He added: “Facebook should be allowing this advertising, as it is something to be celebrated, while redoubling their efforts to get rid of the nasty stuff.”
The charity — set up in honour of war hero Sir Douglas Bader — has issued more than 400 flying scholarships to disabled men and women over the past 35 years.
Trustee Andrew Smart said: “This beggars belief. We speak in the first person because the images show real people.
"They are our scholars who are proud to be part of the campaign. It has not offended anybody — it has only had hugely positive feedback.”
Labour MP Stephen Doughty, of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said it was “a bizarre decision” as Facebook was “still failing to adequately police extremist and other harmful content”.
A Facebook source said ISIS videos could be allowed “as they “raise awareness of a very important issue”.
Clicking central
ONLINE jihadist content attracts more clicks in Britain than anywhere in Europe, says a report.
The Policy Exchange think tank found IS is pumping out vast volumes of propaganda.
Ex-CIA boss General David Petraeus backed the report and attacked net titans for giving terrorists “largely ungoverned” cyberspace.
Twitter insisted such content had no place on its platform.
