Facebook lets beheading clips return to social network

[Deleted]

source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24608499


Facebook is allowing videos showing people being decapitated to be posted and shared on its site once again.

The social network had introduced a temporary ban in May following complaints that the clips could cause long-term psychological damage.

The US firm confirmed it now believed its users should be free to watch and condemn such videos. It added it was, however, considering adding warnings.

One suicide prevention charity criticised the move.

"It only takes seconds of exposure to such graphic material to leave a permanent trace - particularly in a young person's mind," said Dr Arthur Cassidy, a former psychologist who runs a branch of the Yellow Ribbon Program in Northern Ireland.

"The more graphic and colourful the material is, the more psychologically destructive it becomes."

Facebook allows anyone aged 13 and above to be a member.

Its terms and conditions now state that it will remove photos or videos that "glorify violence" in addition to other banned material, including a woman's "fully exposed breast".

New rules
The BBC was alerted to Facebook's change in policy by a reader who said the firm was refusing to remove a page showing a clip of a masked man killing a woman, which is believed to have been filmed in Mexico.

It was posted last week under the title, Challenge: Anybody can watch this video?

Facebook comments
Some Facebook users complained about a video showing a decapitation being allowed to remain on the site
"Remove this video too many young innocent minds out there shouldn't see this!!!" wrote one user in the comments section below.

"This is absolutely horrible, distasteful and needs to be removed... there are too many young minds that can see this. I'm 23 and I'm very disturbed after seeing a couple of seconds of it," wrote another.

The social network later confirmed it was allowing such material to be posted again.

"Facebook has long been a place where people turn to share their experiences, particularly when they're connected to controversial events on the ground, such as human rights abuses, acts of terrorism and other violent events," said a spokeswoman.

"People are sharing this video on Facebook to condemn it. If the video were being celebrated, or the actions in it encouraged, our approach would be different.

"However, since some people object to graphic video of this nature, we are working to give people additional control over the content they see. This may include warning them in advance that the image they are about to see contains graphic content."

The firm also disabled the adverts for third-party products that had been appearing alongside the video.

Advisors concerned
Facebook originally pulled decapitation videos after the Family Online Safety Institute - a member of its Safety Advisory Board - complained that they "crossed a line" bearing in mind how young some of its members were.

Another of the board members, London-based Childnet International, said it had concerns about the videos being allowed back on the site.

"Such content should be taken down," said its chief executive Will Gardner.

"There is a need to raise issues happening around the world, there is that argument, but some content is horrific.

"We would want to see steps to try and protect people from coming across such content. I'll tell Facebook what our view is, absolutely."

'Profoundly shocking'
Decapitation videos are available elsewhere on the net - including on Google's YouTube - but critics have raised concern that Facebook's news feeds and other sharing functions mean it is particularly adept at spreading such material.

Woman looks at Facebook
Some psychologists have raised concerns that watching graphic violence can harm the viewer
"I have seen some of these videos - they are profoundly shocking," said John Carr, who sits on the executive board of the UK government's Council on Child Internet Safety.

"Facebook has taken leave of its senses. Those videos will fuel countless nightmares among the young and the sensitive."

The idea of Facebook issuing a blanket ban had, however, concerned some freedom-of-speech campaigners who had suggested it was the responsibility of parents - not the company - to protect children on the internet.

However, the French digital rights group La Quadrature du Net said it was still concerned that Facebook was reserving the right to take down the videos if it took issue with the way they were presented.

"It shows how much Facebook is in power to decide whatever will or will not be expressed through its network," said the organisation's co-founder Jeremie Zimmermann.

"It plays a profoundly anti-democratic role when it makes any such choice, whatever the limits are and whatever the good reasons it uses to make the decision. Only a judicial authority should be able to restrict fundamental freedoms according to the rule of law."

[Belloc]

People can find that shit anywhere they want -- it doesn't matter if Facebook allows it or not. This is just another reason that parents need to monitor their children's internet activity.

[Deleted]

An exposed female breast is a bad thing, but a highly graphical and probably violent video of someone getting butchered by slow decapitation and all the gory details that come with it are perfectly okay. Fair game, it's their site & their policy and they can add whatever they please in it, but that doesn't mean they can slap around double standards everywhere.

[Deleted]

If you don't see it, it doesn't exist.

[wrynil]

People can find that shit anywhere they want -- it doesn't matter if Facebook allows it or not. This is just another reason that parents need to monitor their children's internet activity.

expect things spread alot faster on facebook these days. A lot of children are there, and they might see this shit, while they wouldn't have searched for it at all, now its right in their faces?

This is pretty sick.. more tits, less beheadings.

[Forgettable]

"It plays a profoundly anti-democratic role when it makes any such choice, whatever the limits are and whatever the good reasons it uses to make the decision. Only a judicial authority should be able to restrict fundamental freedoms according to the rule of law."

Really? It's their website, they should be allowed to restrict any content they want.

[Jayburner]

I did a marathon of beheadings a couple weeks back. Was disturbing but I needed to see it.

[Trisrx]

This makes me feel uneasy. I usually fiercely disagree with internet censorship, but I really dont think facebook is the place for this kind of thing. As others have said, its available elsewhere if you go looking for it. The fact that it is so easily accessible is unnerving, I dont see how these videos are any less disgusting than child pornography.

[lockedout]

I did a marathon of beheadings a couple weeks back. Was disturbing but I needed to see it.

Yeah I usually watch a good hours worth on a friday and saturday night. was totally bummed when they banned them.

[vindicatorx]

Seriously people bitch about how much they watch everything they do and now they are pissed because they don't watch every video dumb asses post on the site?

[Anevers]

Decapitation is okay on Facebook, but they go crazy over a pair of exposed boobs on someones page. Really? Is death and violence more acceptable than nudity?

[Dormie]

I can handle gory stuff, but I've never been able to watch beheadings after I saw a couple.

[Lovecrafts]

Heh, bare breasts are a no-no but we can show someone getting their head cut off. I guess Mark Zuckerberg is of the 'Allah Akbar' persuasion these days.