Sacha Baron Cohen has called social media companies "the greatest propaganda machine in history" for spreading hate, suggesting Facebook would have allowed Adolf Hitler to buy political adverts promoting the "final solution".

The actor and comedian accused Facebook, Google, YouTube, Twitter, and others, of putting business success above the safety of their users.

He called for them to be regulated, and classified as publishers, making them responsible for the fake news they spread, and forcing them to fact-check political advertisements.

Speaking after accepting an award from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in New York, Baron Cohen called arguments used by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, that he was protecting free speech, "absurd and ludicrous".

He accused the platforms, including Facebook, of allowing hateful content because it provoked a response and improved engagement.