Facebook bans breast feeding photo
Mikey 15 comments
Sometimes I think certain organisations want bad publicity. Can any publicity be considered good publicity? It depends who you ask, and as much as I enjoy wasting time on Facebook I have to wonder what they were thinking when they make bonehead decisions like this.
Twenty three year old Kelli Roman went to her Facebook page one morning to find a photo of her breastfeeding her baby had been removed. Facebook's policy states that they can remove any photos they judge as "obscene, pornographic or sexually explicit". While I can't speak for the Facebook administrators, where I come from breastfeeding doesn't fit into any of those categories.
Here on planet Earth, breastfeeding is one of the most natural (not to mention un-sexual) acts in human history.
Last year another social networking platform MySpace came under similar fire for removing photos of a father's disfigured child as they judged the photos to be offensive. After an onslaught of negative feedback from bloggers and television reports MySpace did come to their senses and reinstated the photos along with a public apology for their spontaneous dim-witted actions.
I'm uncertain of the process that takes place when an image is flagged by a user, but if Facebook really do think a mother breastfeeding is offensive, they might consider seeking professional help.
If you want to show your support, join .
Jaquie S
Sunday 4th January 2009 | 08:25 AMNothing makes me angrier! I hope this story spreads enough to shame facebook into reversing the decision and apologising.
Jack
Sunday 4th January 2009 | 02:33 PMIn defense of Facebook has anyone actually seen the picture? or at least know what the picture was "actually" of? For all we know the woman may have been fully naked breast feeding the baby. I've got nothing against letting women upload pictures of themselves breastfeeding, but where is the line drawn? Should women be allowed to upload naked photos of themselves as long as they are breastfeeding? I'm NOT saying in this instance the women was naked, but I think there must be another side to the story.
Jaquie S
Sunday 4th January 2009 | 02:59 PMThe thing with Facebook is that I thought only people you accept as friends could see your photo gallery. So how did this become a public safety issue?
Jack
Sunday 4th January 2009 | 03:46 PMIf I recall prior to updates the default setting was friends of friends could access your profile (unless you changed it to only friends.) Although now I believe by default it's only friends (I may be wrong).
There are still plenty of other ways people whom aren't on your friends list have access to your photos. For example... If one of your friends leaves a comment on another persons photo (Even if this other person isn't your friend) you then have access to the photo and all other photos in that album (Generally).
Regardless there are still plenty of people on my friends list whom even though I am friends with, I would feel somewhat uncomfortable seeing a photo of them breastfeeding if they were naked. I've got nothing against a photo of them breastfeeding, but it's somewhat questionable if they're fully naked.
Don't get me wrong here... I'm not saying I agree with what Facebook has done at all... But I'm sure there's something about this situation we weren't told, that maybe Facebook's actions could be justified to a degree.
Shamen67
Sunday 4th January 2009 | 08:57 PMI have reported a few pics which were offensive (It does take a lot to offend me as well) and should have been on adult sites but a woman breastfeeding is sooo normal. Thoroughly agree with you Jaquie - it really pisses me off!
I wonder if it was a case of "Moral minority rules" ??????
Does anyone know who actually runs FB?
Jack
Sunday 4th January 2009 | 09:22 PMThe following is quoted directly off Yahoo Tech News (Only small sections of the article):
Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt said the website takes no action over most breast-feeding photos because they follow the site's terms of use but others are removed to ensure the site remains safe and secure for all users, including children.
"Photos containing a fully exposed breast (as defined by showing the nipple or areola) do violate those terms (on obscene, pornographic or sexually explicit material) and may be removed," he said in a statement.
Schnitt said the company had called many U.S. media groups during the course of the protest to ask to place an advert related to breast-feeding that showed a woman breast-feeding her child with a fully exposed breast. None agreed.
Source ~
EricVonZipper
Sunday 4th January 2009 | 10:14 PMI don't use Facebook, so the end result of this kafuffle doesn't concern me.
Saying that, these puritans that complain over the slightest thing shit me to tears.
Haddy
Monday 5th January 2009 | 06:34 AMEering on the side of caution? But I don't know what would happen if they allowed something so innocent. It's obvious to anyone with half a brain the picture wasn't meant for pornographic purposes.
mini-mel
Monday 5th January 2009 | 04:48 PMuh oh.. perhaps she should have taken the pic of her feeding her bub in the local loo.. and then it would have been more appropriate
Jake
Tuesday 6th January 2009 | 08:24 AMAs a lover of breasts, I find this offensive.
Nameless
Wednesday 7th January 2009 | 02:10 PMI'm sorry, but it bothers me to see women breastfeeding. I know it's natural (I'm a woman myself and will breastfeed my child if I ever have one), but I also think that it is something that should be done in private. Why would you WANT everyone to see a picture of you breastfeeding your child? Why would you want anyone to watch you while you take part in a semi-sacred act with your child?
It bothers people, plain and simple, just like it bothers some people to have sexual pictures waved in their faces. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. If it offends someone, why not just keep it behind closed doors? Why not just take a picture of you with your child... fully clothed? I know, I know, it's shocking, but really, is it so hard?
Jake Farr-Wharton
Wednesday 7th January 2009 | 05:34 PM...in response to this comment by Nameless. Thats cool, the world needs uptight prudes too, who else is going to push the teens of the world to rebel and take up social justice and environmental law?
Nate >.>
Wednesday 7th January 2009 | 08:18 PM...in response to this comment by Shamen67. "Does anyone know who actually runs FB?"
The CIA.....read the fine print.
;-)
There is an obvious alternative for mothers who want to share photos of their babies, while breastfeeding or otherwise, and that is with Wee Web, the simple and secure way for parents to share pictures of their babies with close friends and family.
andrew
Saturday 3rd January 2009 | 10:53 PMit makes you just wonder sometimes..........