Breast Cancer Group Evades Facebook Censorship Using Square Breasts

Facebook's censorship of Swedish cancer society Cancerfonden’s breast cancer awareness video raised eyebrows and the social networking company had to later apologize for removing the video. The company's apology, in a statement issued to the Guardian, said, "We’re very sorry, our team processes millions of advertising images each week, and in some instances we incorrectly prohibit ads.”

The cancer group then came up with a new strategy to evade Facebook’s restrictions: creating animated square breasts instead of circular ones, for the video aimed at creating breast cancer awareness by explaining to women how to inspect their breasts for lumps.

“We find it incomprehensible and strange how one can perceive medical information as offensive. This is information that saves lives … This prevents us from doing so,” Cancerfonden spokeswoman Lena Biornstad told Agence France-Presse.

Facebook’s explanation for the removal was,” Your ad can not market sex products or services nor adults products or services.”

The censorship was noticed by Swedish MP Åsa Eriksson, who posted about it on her blog. She mentioned that she was seeking a meeting with Facebook executives to discuss their “incomprehensible standards.”

Facebook faced outrage in September for removing the iconic Vietnam War photo of the Napalm girl — a 1972 image of a naked 9-year old girl, Kim Phuc, running from a Napalm attack.