Facebook and Instagram have urged the end of the bare breast ban
Meta, the parent company behind Instagram and Facebook has been advised by a board. It recommended that the social media giants lift their ban on posting images of bare breasts to the platform.
Meta’s Oversight Board is made up of academics, journalists and politicians who advise the company on its policies around content moderation, and have said that Meta’s policies could be more inclusive.
The board called for Meta to change its current policy, which prohibits users posting images of naked breasts to the platform. For over a decade, the #FreeTheNipple movement has been calling for an end to this policy.
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The advisors recommended changing the rules around nudity and sexual activity on the platform “so that it is governed by clear criteria that respect international human rights standards”.
After Facebook had censored two posts by an American couple who were both transgenders and non-binary, the decision was made.
The couple were seen in the photos posing topless but their nipples were covered. This was done to raise funds for top-of-the-line surgery.
The posts were flagged by users and subsequently removed by the company’s AI system, but the posts were restored after the couple appealed the decision with Meta.
According to the Oversight Board, the current policy on bare breasts on Instagram and Facebook “is based on a binary view of gender and a distinction between male and female bodies”.
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It adds that the rules are “unclear” when it comes to transgender, non-binary and intersex users.
The board recommended that Meta “define clear, objective, rights-respecting criteria so that all people are treated in a manner consistent with international human rights standards”.
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“We are constantly evolving our policies to help make our platforms safer for everyone,” a representative for Meta said, adding that it “welcomes” the board’s decision.
“We know more can be done to support the LGBTQ+ community, and that means working with experts and LGBTQ+ advocacy organisations on a range of issues and product improvements.”
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