British pub's Facebook account banned over 'offensive' name

London, Dec 25: Facebook has suspended a 175-year-old British pub's social media account over its "offensive" name, saying it was derived from a black cockerel -- a male chicken, the media reported.

The manager of the Blackcock Inn in Llanfihangel Talyllyn, a small village in Wales, in November this year received a message from Facebook saying the pub's account he created had been suspended for "racist or offensive language", he told the Independent in an interview.

Garrett has since been unable to log into the account and all its posts have been removed, he said, adding that his pub's name is derived from a black cockerel -- a male chicken -- and nothing else.

While the company makes clear in its 'Terms of Service' that users should have the right to freedom of speech, it reserves the right to remove postings or accounts that may negatively affect others.

Facebook follows a strict policy on user accounts. In recent years, it has been removing all kinds of potentially-offending content, including images of murder victims, illegal content and even a "feeling fat" emoticon, Fortune reported.

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the suspension.

Garrett said the Facebook page was a "lifeline" for his business and the small village. But he has now found a solution.

He has created a business page on the social network under the exact name of his business. So far, it's operating normally.

IANS