Facebook issued an apology to the family of the “boss of bosses” of Italy's Mafia for removing messages of condolences that flowed in after his death last week.
A Facebook spokesperson tells The Associated Press that the posts on the feed of Salvatore “Toto” Riina's son-in-law were removed in error after users complained that they violated Facebook's standards. After a review, Facebook restored the posts and apologised, the spokeswoman said.
The apology came as Riina's remains arrived on Wednesday in Sicily following his death on November 17 in Parma. The family buried him in a private ceremony in Corleone, the real-life Cosa Nostra hotbed made famous by the book and “Godfather” films.
The private funeral and the social media controversy underscored the complicated mourning process for families of mafiosi.
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