TORONTO – Facebook has re-worded its statement regarding the use of post-mastectomy photos on the site following a petition that called on the social network to update its policy and support breast cancer awareness.
The petition was started after some users alleged that Facebook had removed multiple photos from a group called the SCAR Project, which posts portraits of young women and men healing from mastectomies, along with other groups.
“Facebook says these photos violate their policy – essentially putting these images in the same category as pornography,” read the petition that took the form of an open letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg.
“The Scar Project, Stupid Dumb Breast Cancer, and other pages like them do not objectify or sexualize the human anatomy. They document the physical and emotional toll of women and men who have undergone mastectomies.”
Photographer David Jay, who founded the project, was also banned from posting for 30 days for being in violation of Facebook’s terms of service.
The petition garnered over 20,000 signatures and gained the attention of Facebook, which reached out to the author of the petition, a blogger who goes by the name of Scorchy Barrington.
According to Barrington’s blog, a representative from Facebook and Change.org reached out to her to revise the policy.
“Where the former policy vaguely allowed images of ‘the mastectomy process,’ the images are now correctly placed within the context of breast cancer and their importance in raising awareness of the real scourge of this disease and supporting those affected by it,” wrote Barrington on her blog The Sarcastic Boob on Tuesday.
Facebook’s new policy on post-mastectomy photos reads in part, “We agree that undergoing a mastectomy is a life-changing experience and that sharing photos can help raise awareness about breast cancer and support the men and women facing a diagnosis, undergoing treatment, or living with the scars of cancer.”
However, the guidelines go on to specify that fully exposed breasts “particularly if they’re unaffected by surgery” violate Facebook’s terms.
Barrington noted in her blog post that the Facebook representatives she spoke with regarding the matter were in no way hostile towards photographing mastectomy scars.
“The fact remained that the Facebook policy on posting images of mastectomy was so vague and ill-defined that it provided little guidance to both the individuals at Facebook responsible for reviewing reported content and to those who wanted to post their images,” read the blog.
Facebook is not responsible for seeking out inappropriate content – the site only reviews content that has been reported by users.
Barrington said in her blog that the changes are both a victory for Facebook and its users.
“I did not want these stories silenced as the result of a vaguely written policy that left these images vulnerable to individuals who would report them because they were personally affronted. These images are posted within a particular context; this isn’t about sexualized breasts or objectifying women,” wrote Barrington.
“This is, quite simply, about life and death.”
Comments