Facebook bans 'dangerous' armed groups in Myanmar

This file photo taken on Jan 12, 2014 shows soldiers from the Taaung National Liberation Army (TNLA), a Palaung ethnic armed group, parading as they mark the 51st anniversary of the Taaung National Resistance Day at Homain, Nansan township in Myanmar's northern Shan state. (AFP)

YANGON: Facebook has banned four insurgent groups fighting against Myanmar's military from its social network, the company said on Tuesday, saying it wanted to prevent offline harm by removing groups it branded "dangerous organisations".

The US-based social media giant says it has removed hundreds of accounts, pages and groups for links to Myanmar's military, or misrepresentation, since last August.

The action came after Facebook was criticised for not doing enough to prevent violent and hate-filled content spreading on its platform, which grew hugely popular in Myanmar just as conflicts in the country escalated.

The Arakan Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Kachin Independence Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army were banned, Facebook said in a statement on Tuesday, adding it would remove "praise, support and representation" of the groups.