Facebook have apologise after a local history community were told their group has broken 'community guidelines' and risked closure after members had a discussion about faggots on the platform.

'Pensnett, Brierley Hill and Black Country Now and Then' were forced to remove people and delete posts from their 13,000 strong membership after the social media giant's algorithm picked up on the term - which can also be used as a homophobic slur - on a number of conversations.

The move was described as 'ludicrous', 'idiotic' and an 'abuse of power' by a number of contributors, with the groups founder, Linda Beech, forced to issue a request that use of the term was avoided until further notice. One member, Kathy Burliegh, who was born in Lye but has since moved to China, uses the group as a means of maintaining a connection with her home town. Kathy said:

"This whole debacle is ridiculous. [Faggots] are a longstanding traditional food going back to times when people were extremely poor and had large families, they could only get the cheapest ingredients and this was a nourishing and filling meal.

"If we were using it as a homophobic insult then yes it should be removed - just as racist, sexist and insulting or inflamatory comments should be removed.

"I think Facebook should get rid of the algorithms, which clearly don't work, and replace them with people who can contact the person or group concerned and get a proper explanation. I use Facebook to keep in touch but I resent the erosion of my unique culture by a multi national organisation. 

"Linda and her team works hard running this group and they raise a lot of money for local charities and good causes. She deserves a medal not admonishment for what she does and I am not only offended personally but also for her."

Group founder and Administrator, Linda Beech, has built the group up over the last five years and it has become a popular space to share old photographs of the area and to reminisce about the Black Country’s heritage. However she has been left disheartened at the move, which has seen her forced to remove members and another of her administrators after a warning from Facebook that the group could be closed. Linda said:

"Facebook have started to go back to old posts, some from May 2020. We've had a 'severe' warning and if we have anymore violations then Facebook will disable our group.  

"Once it goes, I wont be starting a new one up."

Black Country Radio contacted Facebook, who looked into the incident. A spokesperson said:

”Our systems clearly made a mistake here and we apologise to users whose posts about this local delicacy were affected.

“We're looking into what happened and we are taking steps to rectify the error.”