THE move by Facebook to tackle extremism online is belated but welcome, according to one social media expert.
Alan Stevens, of Mediacoach, said while the step forward is welcome, it should have happened sooner and all platforms should be subscribing to higher control standards.
The move comes after Prime Minister Theresa May commented on tackling the internet giants over extremist content online after a series of attacks around the country.
The volume of activity online hampers monitoring but artificial intelligence will be used now.
Facebook has launched the Online Civil Courage Initiative, which will provide educational and financial support to organisations working to combat hateful material that appears online.
The initiative's founding partners include the Jo Cox Foundation, set up in memory of the murdered MP, as well as other anti-hate groups from the Jewish and Muslim communities.
The OCCI will train organisations to spot and respond to hate speech online, as well as offer financial support for research into countering extremism.
Mr Stevens said: "We will need to see how it works.
"Of course we have to be careful that it doesn't catch people who are just talking about the issues."
Mr Stevens said it has been a "long time in coming".
"But it is to be welcomed and hopefully other networks like Twitter will follow suit."
It also comes against a background of warnings of a perception of a concern over liability among the internet giants.
He said: "Internet providers have been quite reluctant in the past.
"I wouldn't be at all surprised if that was the motive behind it, that they are concerned about their liability.
"There are extreme right and left organisations using social media to get their message out.
"But it is where they draw the line and define between people having debate or not."
Facebook supremo Sheryl Sandberg said there is "no place for hate or violence" on the platform.
Crucial to the puzzle to tackling hate crime, she said, are "partnerships with tech companies, civil society, researchers and governments".
However, Mr Stevens added: "They have come rather late to the party."
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