Too fat for Facebook: photo banned for depicting body in 'undesirable manner'

[Tennis]

Facebook has apologized for banning a photo of a plus-sized model and telling the feminist group that posted the image that it depicts “body parts in an undesirable manner”.

Cherchez la Femme, an Australian group that hosts popular culture talkshows with “an unapologetically feminist angle”, said Facebook rejected an advert featuring Tess Holliday, a plus-sized model wearing a bikini, telling the group it violated the company’s “ad guidelines”.

After the group appealed against the rejection, Facebook’s ad team initially defended the decision, writing that the photo failed to comply with the social networking site’s “health and fitness policy”.

“Ads may not depict a state of health or body weight as being perfect or extremely undesirable,” Facebook wrote. “Ads like these are not allowed since they make viewers feel bad about themselves. Instead, we recommend using an image of a relevant activity, such as running or riding a bike.”

In a statement on Monday, Facebook apologized for its original stance and said it had determined that the photo does comply with its guidelines.

“Our team processes millions of advertising images each week, and in some instances we incorrectly prohibit ads,” the statement said. “This image does not violate our ad policies. We apologize for the error and have let the advertiser know we are approving their ad.”

The photo – for an event called Cherchez La Femme: Feminism and Fat – features a smiling Holliday wearing a standard bikini.

Facebook had originally allowed the event page to remain, but refused to approve the group’s advert, which would have boosted the post.

The policy in question is aimed at blocking content that encourages unhealthy weight loss – the opposite intent of Cherchez la Femme, which was promoting body positivity.

This is not the first time Facebook has come under fire for its censorship of photos. In March, the site faced backlash when it concluded that a photograph of topless Aboriginal women in ceremonial paint as part of a protest violated “community standards”.

Critics said that ban was an obvious double standard, noting that Facebook allows celebrities such as Kim Kardashian to pose with body paint covering her nipples.

Instagram and Facebook have also faced opposition for policies banning women from exposing their nipples, with critics arguing that the guidelines are prejudiced against women and transgender users.

Cherchez la Femme vented its frustrations on its Facebook page.

“Facebook has ignored the fact that our event is going to be discussing body positivity (which comes in all shapes and sizes, but in the particular case of our event, fat bodies), and has instead come to the conclusion that we’ve set out to make women feel bad about themselves by posting an image of a wonderful plus sized woman,” the group said. “We’re raging pretty hard over here.”

Jessamy Gleeson, co-producer of the group, said she was initially so shocked by the language in Facebook’s explanation that she didn’t know how to respond.

“I was utterly furious. I couldn’t comprehend it, quite frankly,” she said. “We thought it was really horrible and isolating and alienating … Women with fat bodies can, of course, be as desirable as anybody else.”

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...-ad-guidelines

Do you agree with this? What should Facebook do?
It seems reasonable that they should ban offensive content.

[Therec]

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...-ad-guidelines

Do you agree with this? What should Facebook do?
It seems reasonable that they should ban offensive content.

Sounds like an honest mistake frome someone who's flipping through thousands of photos a day. No body positivity images shouldnt be banned.

However i am curious. If a woman in a bikini is so fat that you cant tell she's wearing a bikini bottom, is it violating facebook's nudity rules?

[Sunseeker]

She's big, but shit I've seen soooooo much worse on FB.

[endersblade]

Should they block it? No. Is it fucking disgusting? Very much so.

[Underverse]

I love your anti-fat person crusade Tennisace. It makes for hilarious threads like this.

OT, obviously they shouldn't have removed this picture.

[Stelio Kontos]

Obviously the picture was mistakenly removed.

Non-story #2435362 from Tennis

[Raptor With a Saber]

ads may not depict a state of health or body weight as being perfect or extremely undesirable,

They banned because it fit the criteria for it. They are depicting it as perfect

[buddhapunch09]

I find it offensive that overly obese women have to show their bodies in a bikini. Just like it would be offensive for me to show off my muscles when I'm a 120lb 5'7'' "skinny" dude. Why do they think people want to see that? We don't, and at the same time we need to stop being so selfish. We shouldn't mock them or laugh but at the same time they really need to be considerate....

And seriously fuck Facebook. If you don't like how things are with it then quit. Its Mark Zuckerberg's show. He can do whatever he wants, leave him alone!!
In fact I wish more people would quit Facebook... It limits you into a social construct and sells your short of what you are. It's sad to see how people tend to forget that they're not their"Facebook wall". It can really cause depression..

But yeah I believe there is a healthy fat and a obese fat. We SHOULD discourage obese fat. Just like in my position... We SHOULD discourage underbody weight.

[Mihalik]

Tess Holiday passed the "body positivity" category when she turned into an amorphous blob, she is now firmly in the realm of Terrestrial Cetacean. What she is and represents shouldn't be encouraged.

Quite the contrary naked and un-made up images of her should be plastered all over on junk food items as a health warning, like the way we put images of cancerous lungs on cigarette packages.

Again, I have no problem with "plus size" or what I call, normal human female bodies. I don't even mind a couple of extra kilos, but what Tess Holiday is...is fucking gross and dangerous to our collective health.
.

[Karlz0rz]

If it's an add for a "healthy life style", then I'd remove it.
If it was an add for "Accepting your own beauty", then I'd let it be.

[May90]

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...-ad-guidelines

Do you agree with this? What should Facebook do?
It seems reasonable that they should ban offensive content.

This is offensive content - in what universe?

[Deleted]

This is offensive content - in what universe?

In OPs own world, the mere existence of overweight people is deeply offensive.

[Adamas102]

Offensive? No. Undesirable? Very much yes.

[purebalance]

Should they block it? No. Is it fucking disgusting? Very much so.

It doesn't fit their stated policy though so yes they should. The ad is saying there is nothing wrong with her weight. Their policy says that ads endorsing unhealthiness are against their policy.

Grow a pair and stick to your guns Facebook.

I think this is all a conspiracy though to act like "look we're doing things feminists don't like too" to counter the conservative claims of shadowbanning etc.

- - - Updated - - -

This is offensive content - in what universe?

When it says that being obese is acceptable, yes it is offensive.

[May90]

When it says that being obese is acceptable, yes it is offensive.

Who does it offend? Does it offend you?

[Stelio Kontos]

Who does it offend? Does it offend you?

It triggers him.

[Deleted]

It was probably banned for propagating unhealthy lifestyle that makes people die younger.

Move along, nothing to see here.

[Rudkobing]

She has a pretty face, but god damn she's a big 'un.

[TirielWoW]

Sounds like an honest mistake frome someone who's flipping through thousands of photos a day. No body positivity images shouldnt be banned.

However i am curious. If a woman in a bikini is so fat that you cant tell she's wearing a bikini bottom, is it violating facebook's nudity rules?

As far as I know, only if it falls under a few guidelines. Like, if the focus of the picture is on the butt, whether the model is fat or thin, they will delete it. I'm not entirely sure why that is, but apparently Facebook really hates butts.

Of course, with a more overweight model, there are other things that might show, depending on the angle. I saw one where it was pretty obvious that labia was poking out.

[unfilteredJW]

The best part of Tennis threads is they'll only respond to the low hanging fruit, and ignore anything that blows them out of the water.

Which happens in every freakin' thread.