Facebook rejects police plea to take down page
Source: AFP |
October 2, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FACEBOOK has refused to take down a page containing offensive material about the man accused of murdering Irish woman Jill Meagher, Australian police said yesterday.
The search for Meagher, 29, who vanished while walking home from a Melbourne bar last month, sparked a huge social media campaign, with more than 122,000 people "liking" a Facebook page dedicated to the case.
But several hate pages sprung up after Meagher's body was found in a shallow roadside grave 50 kilometers northwest of Melbourne and Adrian Ernest Bayley, 41, was charged with her rape and murder.
Meagher's husband and the police have urged the public to refrain from commenting on the highly publicised case, warning that any remarks made online had the potential to prejudice his trial.
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.
"Now, they've refused to do that," Lay told commercial radio.
"We've all got a social responsibility. Facebook is part of our community and I would have thought that it would have only been reasonable," he added.
"We've got to remember that no matter how horrible this crime is, this gentleman has got to be afforded a fair trial. It's not for Facebook pages or anyone else to be taking justice into their own hands."
Facebook later said it might restrict access to content in a country where it violates local law, adding that it was in contact with law enforcement authorities in Victoria.
The search for Meagher, 29, who vanished while walking home from a Melbourne bar last month, sparked a huge social media campaign, with more than 122,000 people "liking" a Facebook page dedicated to the case.
But several hate pages sprung up after Meagher's body was found in a shallow roadside grave 50 kilometers northwest of Melbourne and Adrian Ernest Bayley, 41, was charged with her rape and murder.
Meagher's husband and the police have urged the public to refrain from commenting on the highly publicised case, warning that any remarks made online had the potential to prejudice his trial.
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.
"Now, they've refused to do that," Lay told commercial radio.
"We've all got a social responsibility. Facebook is part of our community and I would have thought that it would have only been reasonable," he added.
"We've got to remember that no matter how horrible this crime is, this gentleman has got to be afforded a fair trial. It's not for Facebook pages or anyone else to be taking justice into their own hands."
Facebook later said it might restrict access to content in a country where it violates local law, adding that it was in contact with law enforcement authorities in Victoria.
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