Facebook Has A Problem With Scunthorpe And People Are Up In Arms

'Sort yourself out Zuckerberg.'

Facebook's algorithm has a problem with Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire. 

Look closely enough and you'll find an offensive word hidden in the town's name. 

As a result of the platform's anti-profanity filters, users are unable to promote events in the area and a band  known as October Drift found this out the hard way while trying to plug a gig in Scunthorpe. 

 Writing on Twitter, they said: "Our relationship with social media is a very strained and delicate one at the best of times. Issues like this..."

Guitarist Dan Young told The Independent: “As a band we like to promote our shows via Facebook.

“But Facebook has none of it when trying to boost the posts.”

The filter appears to work on paid-for promotional posts and the issue has been highlighted to Facebook before.

Four months ago local businessman, Jon Jarman, told Facebook:

"My ad not approved because of the word Scunthorpe. Seriously Facebook are your algorithms written by 5 year olds?"

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Facebook community

 A member of the Facebook Help Team later responded with the generic article on what to do when ads are not approved. 

Unappeased, Jarman wrote back:

"I don't need to see what is and isn't approved - there's nothing wrong with the advert it's just the fact that word Scunthorpe is in it.
"As soon as I type the word 'Scunthorpe' I get an immediate warning that my ad contains inappropriate language."

The Huffington Post UK have reached out to Facebook for comment.