{"id":1092,"date":"2012-10-01T14:16:05","date_gmt":"2012-10-01T13:16:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.egeve.com\/up\/wordpress\/2012\/10\/01\/facebook-won-t-remove-murder-page\/"},"modified":"2022-10-29T14:40:16","modified_gmt":"2022-10-29T13:40:16","slug":"facebook-won-t-remove-murder-page","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.egeve.com\/en\/facebook-won-t-remove-murder-page\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook won\u2019t remove murder page"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sydney: Australian police on Monday said that social media site Facebook had refused to take down a page containing offensive material about the man accused of murdering Irish woman Jill Meagher.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The search for Meagher, 29, who vanished while walking home from a Melbourne bar earlier this month, sparked a huge social media campaign, with more than 122,000 people \u2018liking\u2019 a Facebook page dedicated to the case.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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But several hate pages sprung up after Meagher\u2019s body was found in a shallow roadside grave 50 kilometres north-west of Melbourne and Adrian Ernest Bayley, 41, was charged with her rape and murder.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Meagher\u2019s husband and the police have urged the public to refrain from commenting on Bayley or the highly publicised case, warning that any remarks made on social media sites had the potential to prejudice his trial. <\/strong><\/p>\n

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Chief Victoria state police commissioner Ken Lay said Facebook had been approached about taking down one page in particular which contained offensive material about Bayley.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cNow, they\u2019ve refused to do that,\u201d Lay told commercial radio. \u201cWe\u2019ve all got a social responsibility. Facebook is part of our community and I would have thought that it would have only been reasonable.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019ve got to remember that no matter how horrible this crime is, this gentleman has got to be afforded a fair trial. It\u2019s not for Facebook pages or anyone else to be taking justice into their own hands.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Facebook later said it took its commitment to \u201crights and responsibilities very seriously and react[s] quickly to remove reported content that violates [its] policies.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201c[We may] restrict access to content in a country where we are advised that it violates local law,\u201d the social media giant said in a statement, adding that it was in contact with law enforcement authorities in Victoria.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Lay said social media had been \u201cenormously helpful\u201d in the investigation of Meagher\u2019s disappearance, with thousands of people flooding the \u2018Help us find Jill Meagher\u2019 Facebook site with information.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But he said there had also been drawbacks and some of the online \u2018hatred\u2019 incited against Bayley was not helpful, with police seeking further advice on the issue.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Meagher\u2019s disappearance during the short walk home struck a nerve in Melbourne, where an estimated 30,000 people turned out for a peaceful anti-violence march on Sunday through the suburb where she was last seen alive.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook won\u2019t remove murder page<\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n
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Police concerned online \u2018hatred\u2019 could prejudice trial<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n