Facebook shuts down Instagram accounts advertising illegal St Patricks Day rave

FACEBOOK HAS SHUT down social media profiles advertising an illegal “lockdown rave” after profiles gained traction online. The event, which has been advertised on both Instagram and Snapchat, would be in breach of Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions if it went ahead. “We have restricted access to this account as it violates government Covid-19 health guidelines,” said a Facebook company spokesperson. “We are committed to supporting the HSE’s work to keep people safe and informed, including on the importance of social distancing.”  While Level 5 restrictions officially end on 5 March, it is all but certain that they will be extended into April. Level 5 restrictions prevent social gatherings of any type, with exceptions for social bubbles or for essential family reasons like childcare. According to posts seen by TheJournal.ie, the illegal rave was planned to be held in Dublin or Kildare, and organisers were planning on announcing the location 12 hours before the event began. Posts by the organiser before the page was taken down reported that they had sold over 1200 tickets to the event. The group’s Snapchat profile has also been taken down, due to Snapchat’s community safety policy against using the app for any illegal purposes. “Our…
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