Facebook suffers legal blow in top EU court over hate speech: statement

Facebook on Wednesday was dealt a major blow in the EU's top court, which said that national courts in Europe can order online platforms to remove defamatory content worldwide.

In a closely watched judgment, the European Court of Justice said EU law "does not preclude" courts from ordering "the removal of information or to block access worldwide," a statement said.

The decision will be seen as a victory for EU regulators, who are ambitious to see US tech giants meet tightened European standards over hate speech and offensive content.