From Iceland — Facebook Has A Problem With Drawn Nipples, Too

Facebook Has A Problem With Drawn Nipples, Too

Published May 5, 2016

Andie Sophia Fontaine
Photo by
Göngum saman's Facebook page

A drawn representation of nipples got an Icelandic breast cancer awareness campaign’s ad pulled from Facebook for “violating Facebook Ad guidelines”.

The above photos may seem tame enough, but they are apparently both too racy for Facebook. The photo on the left was used to advertise a nationwide breast cancer awareness campaign called Göngum saman (“Let’s walk together”). Part of the campaign includes raising funds through the sale of T-shirts designed by The Grapevine’s own Lóa Hjálmtýsdóttir, and the design includes rather simplistic representations of the naked female breast.

Upon trying to use the photo on the left in an ad on Facebook, the organisers report, the ad was deleted and the organisers received a notice that Facebook took it down for violating their Facebook Ad guidelines.

Vísir reports that attempts to use yellow bars to block out the drawn nipples, as seen in the photo on the right, were not enough for Facebook, as they also took down ads using these new photos.

The reason for the objection, Facebook informed them, was that their guidelines do not permit “the sale or use of adults products or services, including toys, videos, publications, live shows or sexual enhancement products.”

As such, Göngum saman are having a hard time advertising for their upcoming event – simultaneous marches being held across the country. This march will be held this Sunday at 16 locations around the country. The Reykjavík event will be held at Háskólatorg at the University of Iceland, starting at 10:00.

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