Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has used the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur to issue a public apology for the way his social media platform was used to divide people.

The site is under intense pressure to clamp down on “fake news” that has proliferated in social media bubbles and Mr Zuckerberg has admitted he underestimated the problem of misinformation during last year’s bitter election campaign.

In a message posted on Facebook, the tech entrepreneur said the holiest day of the Jewish year – the day of atonement after the new year - was a time to reflect.