Facebook takes down anti-Semitic page

6 Aug 2010

Social networking site Facebook has taken down an anti-Semitic page that focused on the increased presence of Orthodox Jews in the Cork town of Midleton.

The page entitled “The Invasion of Jews in Midleton” used words that could be construed as anti-Semitic.

The page had a picture of an ultra-Orthodox Jew with the caption ‘Jew Jitsu’.

The page also had a video post linking to comedian Sacha Baron Cohen’s character Borat singing the song “Throw the Jew Down the Well.”

Cork town Midleton has had a Jewish population since emigrants arrived there from Eastern Europe in the 19th century.

The taking down of the page is just the latest in an increase of anti-Semitic pages being found on the popular social networking site.

In July, Facebook took down a page advertising spa services in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz and in July a user called Alex Cookson launched page that aimed to incite violence against Jewish people and which included a swastika symbol.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com