Facebook has announced it will ban praise, support and representation of white nationalism and white separatism on its social media platforms, bolstering its efforts to tackle hate speech.

Key points: Facebook said it had been working on the change for three months

Facebook said it had been working on the change for three months But the move also came less than two weeks after the New Zealand terror attack on two mosques

But the move also came less than two weeks after the New Zealand terror attack on two mosques Facebook has been under pressure because the attack was broadcast live on its platform

The policy will be enforced next week, the social media giant said in a blog post.

The company previously allowed such material even though it has long banned hate speech. The social network said it did not apply the ban previously to expressions of white nationalism because it linked such expressions with broader concepts of nationalism and separatism — such as American pride or Basque separatism (which are still allowed).

But civil rights groups and academics called this view "misguided" and have long pressured the company to change its stance. Facebook said it concluded after months of "conversations" with them that white nationalism and separatism could not be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organised hate groups.

"Over the past three months our conversations with members of civil society and academics who are experts in race relations around the world have confirmed that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organised hate groups," the company said.

"Going forward … we will not tolerate praise or support for white nationalism and separatism."

President and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Kristen Clarke said critics of Facebook's previous policy had "raised these issues to the highest levels".

"This is long overdue as the country continues to deal with the grip of hate and the increase in violent white supremacy," she said.

"We need the tech sector to do its part to combat these efforts."

Though Facebook said it had been working on the change for three months, it came less than two weeks after the company received widespread criticism after the suspect in shootings at two New Zealand mosques that killed 50 people was able to broadcast the massacre live on Facebook.

The Christchurch terror attack increased pressure on Facebook to take more action on hate speech. ( ABC News: Brendan Esposito )

As part of the change, people who search for terms associated with white supremacy will be directed to a group called Life After Hate, which was founded by former extremists who want to help people leave the violent far-right.

Ms Clarke called the idea that white supremacism was different from white nationalism or white separatism a misguided "distinction without a difference".

She said the New Zealand attack was a "powerful reminder about why we need the tech sector to do more to stamp out the conduct and activity of violent white supremacists".

Life After Hate did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

AP/Reuters