Facebook Backlash Over 'Child Porn' Video

Facebook has sparked a furious backlash after a video allegedly showing child pornography circulated on the social network.

Users vented their anger on rival website Twitter after the footage apparently popped up in personal news feeds and was reportedly shared more than 16,000 times.

Those who claim to have seen the film said it showed a young girl being abused by an older man.

Comments on Twitter suggested the clip received almost 4,000 "likes" before it was taken down.

Facebook said it removed the video "quickly" after users reported its disturbing content. But the site continued to draw caustic remarks, even after the footage was deleted.

Twitter user Nicholas wrote: "Someone posted child porn on facebook and it's spreading like wildfire. Why the **** would someone do that to a child?!"

Another social networker said: "Child porn video on Facebook, no wonder I hate that website."

And Twitter user Bon Bon wrote: "They got child porn on facebook! that **** so sad. They need to take that video down! It's a cruel world we live in."

The video is believed to have originated in the US.

Most of those who passed on the film are understood to have done so to condemn its contents. Facebook has urged its users never to share videos of this nature.

A spokesman said: "Nothing is more important to Facebook than the safety of the people that use our site, and this material has no place on Facebook.

"We have zero tolerance for child pornography being uploaded on to Facebook and are extremely aggressive in preventing and removing child exploitative content.

"We are pleased that this material was reported to us quickly, enabling its swift removal."

Every Facebook user who passed on the video has been warned against sharing explicit films, the site said.

It reports each occasion such clips are circulated to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, based in the US.

In the UK, Facebook reports all alleged child abuse to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop).