Facebook censorship extends to artistic breast awareness site Bare Reality

How Facebook concludes that a page, picture, post, link warrants a ban is beyond comprehension. It appears that it involves zero cognitive input and mysterious processes. The latest victim is artist Laura Dodsworth. She is behind Bare Reality, a project that features 100 women, their stories and their feelings exploring how women feel about their breasts.

Facebook had temporarily blocked links to Bare Reality Kickstarter campaign and the profile of Ms Dodsworth. Laura Dodsworth was told that she had violated Facebook’s community standards by promoting the project.

“People tell me time and again that the links get taken down”, she said. “As an artist – it’s really important for sharing and publicising your work”.

Blocked by @facebook for linking to Kickstarter campaign about breasts. #sexist #censorship https://t.co/W4Q4tXa5DJ pic.twitter.com/aNiBKKqURa

— Bare Reality (@BareReality) September 30, 2014

Bare Reality does have a Facebook page but Dodsworth said she could never share images of the work on it, as they will be blocked.

Dodsworth continued: “Facebook say they allow art. But they are deciding where to draw the line. This is art I think I should be able to share it.”

The move by Facebook smells of sexism. Over the past few months, Facebook forced drag queens to use their real names and not their assumed names which they identify with. The repression is continuing and Facebook is remaining silent.

“Why shouldn’t we all be allowed to show images of our bodies? An image of a man’s chest can get shown.”

What is widespread knowledge is that users can report links that they deem to violate Facebook’s community standards, but what is less well-known is how much of a role does Facebook play in that decision. If such a decision is left to users then this is dangerous and allows for all kinds of abuse. Just because a group of conservatives find Bare Reality offensive, does that really make it offensive?