Facebook said Tuesday that it would monitor content on its website dealing with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy following the recent attack that left him hospitalized.
“Promoting violence, or posting threatening content, is not permitted on Facebook. We will take quick action to respond to reports, and remove any content reported to us that makes direct threats against an individual,” the social-networking site said.
The largest fan page for Massimo Tartaglia which had amassed almost 100,000 users in less than 48 hours had been shut down by Facebook. Other fan pages with fewer members are said to have remained open.
Roberto Maroni, the interior Minister, accused social networking sites of instigating violence and “disseminating hatred”, and pleadged to close them down.
Facebook already has its run-in with regulators and lawmakers in Italy even before the attack on Mr. Berlusconi. The company had earlier blocked access to several groups with names like “Let’s Kill Berlusconi,” after government officials complained that it was unacceptable to threaten violence against the prime minister. Last winter, Facebook hold off proposed legistation that would allow the Italian authorities to shut down the site if the company did not block content deemed objectionable, like fan groups of imprisoned Mafia bosses.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tartaglia, is said to be held in the psychological ward of Milan jail and has written Mr. Berlusconi a letter of apology.
[Source: NY Times]
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