Facebook Launches Initiative to Stop Extremist Posts in Europe

Facebook has launched a European campaign to combat extremism and hate speech on the Internet, executives announced on Monday.

The social-networking giant started its “Initiative for Civil Courage Online” in Berlin, pledging over $1 million in marketing funding to put a stop to extremism on social media after a rise in racist posts following an influx of refugees, Reuters reports.

“Hate speech has no place in our society, not even on the Internet, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said in a statement. “Facebook is not a place for the dissemination of hate speech or incitement to violence.”

The initiative for “civil courage” comes after criticism that Facebook doesn’t enforce its rules that forbid bullying, harassment and threatening language. Facebook has also hired a firm to monitor and delete racist posts on its platform in Germany, according to Reuters.