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Facebook has been criticised many times in the past for inconsistency when it comes to content published by users on its pages.
While images of breastfeeding have been tightly clamped down on, beheading videos have slipped through the net on more than one occasion. Now, the social media hub has moved to clarify its policies with a new Community Standards section of the website.
Facebook’s Monika Bickert said in a blog post announcing the new page: “Billions of pieces of content are shared on Facebook every day. We hope these updates help provide more clarity about the standards we have, whether they are our own Community Standards or those imposed by different laws around the world.”
In short, it boils down to a rule book on how they believe Facebook can and should be used. Here is what Facebook had to say on some of the key issues that have caused problems in the past.
Facebook says it reviews all reports of threats to identify those which are credible to public and personal safety. “We remove credible threats of physical harm to individuals. We also remove specific threats of theft, vandalism or other financial harm”. The site says it also factors in location when evaluating threats.
The promotion of self-harm or suicide is not allowed, with Facebook saying it removes content that “promotes or encourages suicide or any other type of self-harm, including self-mutilation and eating disorders”. Facebook also says it doesn’t allow any content that identifies victims or survivors of self-harm or suicide and targets them.
It also confirms that it doesn’t consider body modification to be self-harm. It does also allow the sharing of information about the topic of self-harm and suicide that “does not promote these things.”
The guidelines say that Facebook doesn’t allow any organisations to have a presence on the site that engage in terrorist activity, organised crime, or promoting hate against others.
The site says it also removes content that expresses support for any groups involved in such behaviour.
The social network says in this section that its policies can “sometimes be more blunt than we would like”, highlighting that while some nudity may be for a campaign or artistic purpose, some of the site’s users in different parts of the world maybe be sensitive to this type of content.
As a result, Facebook says: “We remove photographs of people displaying genitals or focusing in on fully exposed buttocks. We also restrict some images of female breasts if they include the nipple, but we always allow photos of women actively engaged in breastfeeding or showing breasts with post-mastectomy scarring. We also allow photographs of paintings, sculptures and other art that depicts nude figures.
“Restrictions on the display of both nudity and sexual activity also apply to digitally-created content unless the content is posted for educational, humorous or satirical purposes. Explicit images of sexual intercourse are prohibited. Some verbal descriptions of sexual acts that go into vivid detail may also be removed.”
Facebook says it relies on its users to report cases of hate speech, but identifies prohibited content as anything that directly attacks people based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender or disability/disease.
The site added that it encourages people to “challenge ideas, institutions and practices because such challenges can promote debate and greater understanding”.
Facebook also said that it allows “humour, satire or social commentary related to these topics” if the user is posting under their real identity.
Facebook will continue to be a place where users can share experiences and raise awareness, says the site.
“Sometimes, those experiences and issues involve violence and graphic images of public interest or concern, such as human rights abuses or acts of terrorism. In many instances, when people share this type of content, they are condemning it or raising awareness about it.
“We remove graphic images when they are shared for sadistic pleasure or to celebrate or glorify violence.”
You can view the full Community Standards page for yourself, here.
