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Facebook is banning all content that "denies or distorts the Holocaust," in a policy reversal that comes after increased pressure from critics.

Just two years ago, founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said in an 

 that even though he finds such posts "deeply offensive," he did not believe Facebook should take them down. Zuckerberg has said on numerous occasions that Facebook shouldn't be forced to be the arbiter of truth on its platform, but rather allow a wide range of speech.

 on Monday, Zuckerberg said his thinking has "evolved" because of data showing an increase in anti-Semitic violence. The company said it was also in response to an "alarming" level of ignorance among young people.

"I've struggled with the tension between standing for free expression and the harm caused by minimizing or denying the horror of the Holocaust," he wrote. "Drawing the right lines between what is and isn't acceptable speech isn't straightforward, but with the current state of the world, I believe this is the right balance."

In addition to removing Holocaust-denying posts, Facebook will begin directing users who search for terms associated with the Holocaust or its denial to "credible information" off the platform later this year, Monika Bickert, head of content policy, said in a 

. She said it would take "some time" to train Facebook's enforcement systems to enact the change.

 to act more aggressively on hate speech, misinformation and other harmful content. The company has recently strengthened its rules to prohibit anti-Semitic stereotypes, and banned accounts related to militia groups and QAnon, a baseless conspiracy theory movement.

This summer, a group of Holocaust survivors, organized by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, launched a social media campaign urging Zuckerberg to remove Holocaust denial from Facebook.

 Facebook is among NPR's financial supporters.

Technology

Shannon Bond

Author

CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who previously considered such claims free speech, said his thinking has "evolved." Survivors had lobbied the social network to remove posts that deny the Holocaust. 

Facebook bans Holocaust denial, reversing earlier policy

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