Facebook offices around the world became the scene of a global nurse-in as moms descended on the grounds to protest the site’s habit of removing breastfeeding photos and suspending the accounts of some users.
Do breasts, even when being used for the purpose nature intended, belong on Facebook? Many moms believe that they do. Breastfeeding mothers around the world organized and staged nurse-ins at Facebook headquarters in several locations. The issue? Facebook and its deletion of breastfeeding photos that mothers say don’t violate their policy.
The Facebook policy
This isn’t the first time Facebook has come under scrutiny for deleting photos of breastfeeding babies, and likely won’t be the last until the rules are more strictly enforced. The policy, as it pertains to nudity, reads as follows:
“You will not post content that: is hateful, threatening, or pornographic; incites violence; or contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence.”
Facebook only removes photos that are directly reported to them by other users and that they also deem violates their terms of use. The question is, then, how do they determine whether a breastfeeding photo is in violation? According to a statement from Facebook to the Houston Chronicle, “On some occasions, breastfeeding photos contain nudity — for example an exposed breast that is not being used for feeding — and therefore violate our terms.”
Not the worst offender
Some moms say the photos that are removed, however, show no more breast than ones that feature scantily clad women baring plenty of cleavage. As Jessica, mother of two, stated, “I find pics that people upload of scantily clad chicks doing the duckface much more obscene.” When a baby is nursing, his head is often covering the whole breast, and even if it is a close-up, the areola and nipple are in the baby’s mouth.
Rules are there for a reason
Other moms feel that the rules are in place for a reason. “Facebook has specific rules about what can be shown and what can’t,” shared Melissa from Alabama. “If they make exceptions for breastfeeding, then it seems like the rule goes out the window, doesn’t it?”
Breastfeeding does not belong on Facebook
Still, many other people feel that nursing pictures don’t belong on the social networking website at all. Ashley, mother of two, thinks the notion is ridiculous. “It is not necessary to post pictures of you breastfeeding to your Facebook page, no one wants to see pictures of your baby sucking your boob, and I’m pretty sure when your kids are teenagers they won’t want pictures of them at your breast floating around the internet,” she explained.
Whether you agree with nursing in public or not, Facebook does still have some accountability for enforcing the rules straight across the board. If Playboy can post pictures of cleavage, then why can’t moms post pictures of their breastfeeding babes?
Tell us
Do you agree with Facebook’s policy? Or should all breastfeeding photos on Facebook be left alone?
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