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Russell Contreras

Facebook apologises for another censorship slip, as it promises more graphic news

Facebook apologised for taking down a breast cancer awareness video because the images were flagged as offensive, saying the move was “an error”.

FACEBOOK HAS ANNOUNCED that it will begin allowing more graphic or potentially disturbing newsworthy posts to be shared on the leading online social network.

“We’re going to begin allowing more items that people find newsworthy, significant, or important to public interest – even if they might otherwise violate our standards,” Facebook vice presidents Joel Kaplan and Justin Osofsky said in a blog post.

“Our intent is to allow more images and stories without posing safety risks or showing graphic images to minors and others who do not want to see them,” Kaplan and Osofsky said.

This announcement was made the same day that Facebook apologised for taking down a breast cancer awareness video because the images were flagged as offensive, saying the move was “an error”.

This has added to increasing speculation over what exactly Facebook is as a publisher or platform, with some experts saying the tech giant should abide by media guidelines.

Earlier this year Facebook backtracked on a decision to censor an iconic Vietnam War photo of a naked girl escaping a napalm bombing, after its block triggered a wave of outrage.

Cancerfonden

shutterstock_386397835 Shutterstock / tuthelens Shutterstock / tuthelens / tuthelens

Swedish cancer charity Cancerfonden said Thursday that its video explaining to women how to check for suspicious lumps, featuring animated figures of women with circle-shaped breasts, had been removed from the US social networking site.

“We find it incomprehensible and strange how one can perceive medical information as offensive,” Cancerfonden communications director Lena Biornstad told international news agency AFP.

“This is information that saves lives,” she said. “This prevents us from doing so.”

In a tongue-and-cheek open letter to Facebook, Cancerfonden had offered a different version of the offending round cartoon breasts.

“After having tried to meet your rules for several days without succeeding, we have now reached a solution which will hopefully satisfy you: two pink squares! This cannot possibly be offensive,” the charity wrote, along with the following picture:

Funny Cancerfonden attempts to abide by Facebook's censorship rules. Cancerfonden Cancerfonden

A Facebook spokeswoman later apologised for removing the video, saying: “We’re very sorry, our team processes millions of advertising images each week, and in some instances we incorrectly prohibit ads.

This image does not violate our ad policies. We apologise for the error and have let the advertiser know we are approving their ads.

The furore erupted just as the White House was lit up in the colour pink to mark breast cancer awareness month.

Facebook faced outrage in September for repeatedly deleting a historic Vietnam War photo included in a post by Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg.

It said the iconic photo of a naked Vietnamese girl fleeing a napalm bombing violated its rules, but it later backtracked on the decision.

Facebook has a ban on posts that contain nudity, with some exceptions, such as images of works of art and women breastfeeding, or educational content.

The US social media giant counts some 1.7 billion users around the world.

- © AFP, 2016

Read: Charity criticises Facebook after it deemed a breast cancer awareness video “offensive”

Read: Facebook does u-turn on censoring ‘napalm girl’ photo

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    Mute Potatoe-man
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    Oct 19th 2016, 11:27 AM

    What about the ibis near newlands cross??

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    Mute Mairead Hynes
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    Oct 19th 2016, 12:51 PM

    @Potatoe-man: cruelly overlooked again this year.. maybe next time

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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Oct 19th 2016, 5:15 PM

    @Potatoe-man: I was thinking the Aspect in Park west but that Ibis has a bit more class.

    8
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    Mute David Browne
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    Oct 19th 2016, 11:39 AM

    The journal writing a full article about a site making an error. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

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    Mute Brendan McGill
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    Oct 19th 2016, 2:17 PM

    Yep sure the journal will have people looking for ‘Ballinyfin’

    19
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    Mute Homer's imp son
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    Oct 19th 2016, 11:20 AM

    In fairness, it looks amazing. Would love to be loaded

    165
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    Mute Brendan Cooney
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    Oct 19th 2016, 1:01 PM

    Last time I was there the food was not great and the place cold! Was a few years ago though and sleeping was in a dormitory.

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    Mute Brendan McGill
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    Oct 19th 2016, 2:12 PM

    Yeah true, but I’ve honestly never even heard of it.. Still great to have the number 1 and a few in the top 10..well done hoteliers

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    Mute Wurps
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    Oct 19th 2016, 11:23 AM

    Ah big whoop, it’s east instead of north. I’m sure whoever stays there can figure it out. They won’t be navigating by compass.

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    Mute john
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    Oct 19th 2016, 11:39 AM

    Its south-west. East of Dublin is the Irish sea!

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    Mute Brendan McGill
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    Oct 19th 2016, 2:14 PM

    Fine seaweed baths they have!

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    Mute Anonymous Man
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    Oct 19th 2016, 11:16 AM

    Is it still cheaper than The Shelbourne?

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    Mute Brian
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    Oct 19th 2016, 11:31 AM

    Waterford castle while nice is no where the nicest hotel in Munster not a mind top ten in the world !!

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    Mute The Boogeyman
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    Oct 19th 2016, 11:53 AM

    Can’t say I’ve been to either of the other too. But Ashford Castle is glorious

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    Mute Pilib O Muiregan
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    Oct 19th 2016, 1:15 PM

    Americans who will spend 600 quid a night on a hotel, 500 quid a day on a private driver guided tour, and then moan at the price of a 2 quid handmade postcard….

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    Mute Oliver P. Dunne
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    Oct 19th 2016, 1:51 PM

    A lovely hotel and well worth the visit. I was very lucky to be able to photograph both interior and exterior. The gold room was unbelievable a place of great beauty. Congrats to all both staff and owners. Unfortunately I could not afford a stay there now.

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    Mute Denito
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    Oct 19th 2016, 1:28 PM

    Stayed there for a night to celebrate wedding anniversary last year. An out-of-this-world experience.

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    Mute Dave Sherman
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    Oct 19th 2016, 1:44 PM

    Like the moon?

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    Mute iDunno
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    Oct 19th 2016, 3:57 PM

    No Laois

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    Mute Gerry Fallon
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    Oct 19th 2016, 10:56 PM

    Denito, you didn’t go in looking like that photo,did you?

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    Mute Martin Flood
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    Oct 19th 2016, 11:28 AM

    And The Journal get the hashtag for this article (#KIM KARDASHIAN) wrong.

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    Mute mcgoo
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    Oct 19th 2016, 11:56 AM

    It doesn’t really fit in in Laois though tbh.

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    Mute Sam Cairns
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    Oct 19th 2016, 1:14 PM

    It has been there for 200 years, no point in moving it somewhere else now.

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Oct 19th 2016, 1:04 PM

    So the best hotel in the world according to 300,000 readers of the influential New York travel magazine. Basically, Americans.

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    Mute Eugene Conroy
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    Oct 19th 2016, 3:41 PM

    Went to college there in the 70′s. Use to be run by the patrician brothers. Beautiful couldn’t describe the surroundings thou some of the brothers were a bit effie.

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    Mute meltyface
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    Oct 19th 2016, 6:37 PM

    I’ve always wanted to go to Laos

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    Mute Gerry Fallon
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    Oct 19th 2016, 10:53 PM

    I wonder do they take supervalue coupons in ballyfin?

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    Mute Mike Walshe
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    Oct 19th 2016, 1:50 PM

    Built 200 yrs ago in 2014 ?

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    Mute Eugene Conroy
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    Oct 19th 2016, 3:44 PM

    Ballyfer was once won in a game of cards

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    Mute Kath Noonan
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    Oct 19th 2016, 10:27 PM

    Kim Kardashian obviously didn’t agree. Didn’t she leave early AND not pay the bill??

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