FACEBOOK has banned far-right groups in a belated attempt to remove white supremacist content from the  social media platform.

The tech giant was lambasted last month after the massacre of 50 Muslims in New Zealand was livestreamed on its website.

Today, Facebook kicked the National Front, Britain First, the British National Party and the English Defence League off the site with effect from noon, saying they had violated its rules against promoting hate and violence.

Neonazi activist Jack Renshaw, recently jailed for plotting to murder a Labour MP, has also been banned.

Facebook said it has an extensive process to determine which people or groups it designates as dangerous.

“Individuals and organisations who spread hate, or attack or call for the exclusion of others on the basis of who they are, have no place on Facebook,” a spokeswoman for the social network said.

“Under our dangerous individuals and organisations policy, we ban those who proclaim a violent or hateful mission or are engaged in acts of hate or violence. 

“The individuals and organisations we have banned today violate this policy and they will no longer be allowed a presence on Facebook or Instagram.

“Posts and other content which expresses praise or support for these figures and groups will also be banned. 

“Our work against organised hate is ongoing and we will continue to review individuals, organisations, pages, groups and content against our community standards.”

The ban also covers anti-immigrant organisation Knights Templar International and its promoter Jim Dowson.

In February, Facebook announced a permanent ban on far-right activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, for behaving “in ways that violate our policies around organised hate.”