Free speech?

Facebook is in the midst of a user revolt over creation of a group called "Fuck Islam." Protesters arose demanding that the group be banned, its creator apparently was booted and then reinstated, and as of now the resolution is unclear.

Spend a few moments searching through the groups spawned in opposition (and support) of the original and you quickly see what a thicket it is. For instance, what about the "fuck the fuck islam groups and fuck the fuck the fuck islam groups" group? How about "Fuck Tibet - Free Palestine"?

The New York Times has a brief story, including this:

The latest concern centers on a group with a crude title denouncing Islam that had more than 750 members at last count. While the group takes pains to say it has nothing against Muslims, who “can be and usually are peaceful and respectful,” it asserts at the start: “The Quran contains many lies and threats. Islam is false, no god exists, and someone should say that loud and clear.”

In the month or so since the group was created, the reaction has been building across Facebook. As of the weekend, more than 58,000 Facebook members had joined a group that said that unless the anti-Islam group was removed, “we r quitting Facebook.”

Facebook declined to comment on Friday on the subject of hate speech or on what steps had been taken.