Is Facebook banning images of St. George because it offends?

Rumours online claim that Facebook is removing images of the St. George flag because it has been deemed “offensive” to ethnic minorities.

UPDATE: April 25th 2020 : We are aware of a spate of messages claiming Facebook has removed a particular image celebrating St. Georges Day because it violates their community standards. We are currently investigating these claims and have a post here. Please be aware that the below article is from 2015 and relates to the false claim that Facebook is removing images of St. George because it offends ethnic minorities.

Claims that Facebook is removing something in particular because it “offends” other people is a well used hoax that has been employed over social media countless times over the years to promote a particular narrative. One such subject that often finds itself on the business end of such rumours is national flags or items and images otherwise associated with a country’s (or culture’s) identity.

So it was perhaps inevitable that in the UK, such claims were directed at images of St. George or the St. George’s flag, attached to messages that claim Facebook is actively removing such images because “they offend minorities” – despite such messages not attempting to support their claims with any reputable source.

Some examples are below.

Share this quick!!!! Facebook is removing images of St. George himself because they have deemed him to be offensive to ethnic minorities.
I’m British and proud. Share if you are to!!!!

Facebook want this photo removed as it may offend !!
If your british and proud to be repost this photo of St George !

Such messages of this ilk are often used as a ploy to lure social media users into sharing or engaging with a post, as well as promoting a far right narrative that claim minorities within a particular country are attempting to dilute it’s identity or culture by claiming that it offends them.

And this claim that Facebook is removing images related to St. George is just a continuation of this. No, Facebook are not removing images related to St. George. They are also not banning images related to the nativity scene, images of the Australian flag, images of a veteran amputee or images of a house covered in St. George’s flags either.

Such claims that Facebook is removing images of St. George is easily debunked simply by performing a simple search for St. George that reveals countless images related to that theme across Facebook, all of which have demonstrably not been taken down due to their continued presence on the platform.