Sir Elton John has hit out at giant tech companies and called on users to boycott social media to force them to tackle homophobic hate speech.

In a new interview, the music legend spoke up about homophobic abuse online, arguing that media firms have a "responsibility" to tackle it.

"I don't know why they [social media firms] allow it," he told the BBC's Newsnight.

"It's supposed to be free speech but the things that are on social media are so disgusting that there has to be action taken by the people who own and run these companies, and say, 'Enough's enough, we're spreading hate'."

He added: "'People say, 'Well what about my freedom of speech?' Sod your freedom of speech."

Elton then suggested a boycott of social media sites, continuing: "Why not? Then they'll sit up. When the money is not coming in they'll sit up.

"They can do so much good, but first they have to clean house and become a much more moral and Christian thinking. A moral thinking compass for what's going on in the world. At the moment they're not doing that."

The singer had earlier given the Diana, Princess of Wales, lecture on HIV, and said that companies such as Facebook and Instagram had "a public role and responsibility".

"Imagine if they put their mic behind debates that could counter ignorance. Homophobia fuels shame, isolation, cruelty and anger, and therefore HIV," he said.

"But if we found ways to automatically respond to hatred with fact, good could be all the way around the world before falsehood even got its boots on."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/celebrity/elton-calls-for-social-media-boycott-to-combat-hate/ar-AAyqMwP?MSCC=1528669304&ocid=spartandhp