Facebook shuts down 'Third Intifada' page

The Tatler first drew attention to the “Third Palestinian Intifada” page on March 23. At that point, the page had been operating since March 6 and had accumulated about 239,000 “likes” and dozens of posts. Its growth continued up until it was taken down early today. On Monday, it had well over 320,000 “likes.” It had also earned numerous complaints and reports, both for it being a credible threat of violence and for it being a page that advocated racism. Counter groups sprung up to oppose it. The blog Honest Reporting reports today that facebook has taken it down. If you click on the page’s former link today, you are taken to facebook’s front page or your own page — the Third Intifada page is indeed gone.

While facebook has done the right thing, the timing is interesting. On Monday, news broke that facebook is very interested in hiring former Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs to head up its corporate communications. On Tuesday, one of facebook’s most politically problematic pages is taken down.