It took public outrage to get Facebook to back off its decision to allow video of a beheading to appear on its pages; and users still fight to get images of animal torture and pages promoting similar depravities off the site. But according to this article from Queerty.com, over 100 users were barred from access for posting a photo of two men kissing. Not two naked men having sex. Just two men kissing. The author of the article, Matthew Tharrett suggests that it’s all too easy for Facebook users who find homosexuality offensive to label such depictions of garden-variety romance between GLTB partners as “violating community standards.”
While Facebook may not be directly condoning the mistreatment of homosexuals, it certainly seems the company is going to need a better system if it is to remain relevant in, y’know, this century. One minute, these companies want the Internet to be a free-for-all of vitriol, misogyny, and plagiarism on the grounds that it’s all free speech. The next minute, this kind of thing happens, and one has to wonder. And to what lengths are these users going to suss out these images they find so offensive? I know there’s plenty on Facebook that would offend me, but I don’t see it because I’m not friends with people who would post it. Duh.
Of course, if the story isn’t true, I apologize in advance. After all, I got it from the Internet.
