Tech

Facebook Briefly Bans Woman’s Christmas Animal Art

(Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

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Eric Lieberman Managing Editor
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A woman from Scotland is claiming that Facebook blocked her from selling a collection of Christmas cards because the social media company said it doesn’t “allow the sale of adult items or services.”

Jackie Charley, a 52-year-old artist, has now come out to criticize Facebook for its decision to ban photos of her acrylic artwork, one of which included a Robin redbreast.

“Hilariously, Facebook has blocked my Christmas cards from becoming a product in my shop due to their shameful, sexual nature,” she wrote with a “laughing crying” emoticon and an activity indicator reading “making History!”

“Please judge for yourself!” she continued.

Charley started painting earlier in the year so she could simultaneously stay home to care for her ailing husband and make money, according to The Telegraph.

She says she received a message from Facebook reading: “It looks like we didn’t approve your item because we don’t allow the sale of adult items or services (e.g. sexual enhancement items of adult videos.”

Charley thought the notice was both amusing and frustrating since her creations are apparently unoffensive and she needs an income.

“Some people have suggested that it may have been the word ‘redbreast’ in the product description, but in fact I never used that word: the robin card simply said ‘robin’. End of,” she said, reports The Telegraph.

“It felt rather like a David and Goliath situation – and the power all rested with Goliath. However, I do think that David might just have the last laugh.”

Her artwork and ability to sell it through the platform has since been reinstated.

“Our team processes millions of images each week, and occasionally we incorrectly prohibit content, as happened here,” a representative for Facebook said, according to The Telegraph. “We approved Jackie’s post as soon as we became aware of our mistake, and are very sorry for the inconvenience caused.”

Facebook is often criticized for its censorship tactics, whether they are purposeful or a mistake. A cancer awareness group based in Sweden was forced to alter an instructional breast examination video by making the animated boobs square-shaped. Facebook originally censored the content, according to the group. There was also the removal of a Pulitzer prize-winning photograph showing a naked ‘napalm girl’ in Vietnam fleeing havoc, which also caused public backlash.

At the same time, Facebook gets criticized for not removing certain content fast enough like revenge porn, ones related to terrorism, and others including the broadcasting of self-harm or suicide.

Facebook did not respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for further details by time of publication.

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