Should Facebook Ban Breast Feeding Photos?

Posted by Kristen Nicole on December 29th, 2008 6:09 PM

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-Breast Feeding Photo- Why do we care if a mother wants to show photos of herself breastfeeding on Facebook? Isn’t Facebook private enough that a user should be able to show pretty much any photo they want? Facebook doesn’t think so. After Heather Farley was told to remove a photo of her breast-feeding, she sent an email to Facebook requesting an explanation.

When Facebook didn’t respond to Farley’s email, she posted another photo and was threatened by Facebook to have her account deleted. This is when things got ugly—for Facebook, at least. Once Farley went public with her complaint against Facebook, stating that she felt bullied. So she protested. And the protest has grown to new heights in the past week, even gaining momentum with a Facebook group, according Mercury News. So what’s Facebook’s issue with breast-feeding anyway?

It’s not the breast-feeding per say, but any showing of the breast’s areola, which violates Facebook’s Terms of Service. But several nursing advocates feel that breast feeding shouldn’t be lumped into the “porn” category. So what of it? Should private groups be able to show any type of content they want, considering their private status And will the breast-feeding photo issue spill over into the actual pornographic realm when it comes to privacy and content shared on Facebook? While I feel that this particular issue boils down to privacy regarding Facebook content, I think an important issue for Farley’s particular case is the fact that Facebook has yet to address her questions and concerns.

According to Farley, the social network still hasn’t responded to her emails requesting an explanation of why she can’t show photos of herself breast-feeding on Facebook. That leaves quite a mess for the company to deal with, and it only continues to get bigger. I doubt that Facebook will change its ToS as a result of Farley’s protest, the social network needs to do something to quelch the rising tension.

Image from Darlin’ Doula

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24 Comments »

*sigh* Why is this country so puritan? Why is a company taking something that has been done by humans for as long as they've existed and treating it as pornography?

This sort of thing just makes me sad. Really sad. Just wait till we start reprimanding people for changing babies' diapers in public or letting three-year-old girls go topless on the beach…oh WAIT…we already do.

Comment by Mimzy — December 29, 2008 @ 5:09 pm

Breast feeding is hardly porn. It is a natural thing that most mothers participate in. To say that a mother feeding her child is pornographic is ignorant.

Comment by Ella — December 29, 2008 @ 8:29 pm

Is is not a shame. It is okay to see blood and gut's and Murder on the Big Screen's and TV. But some thing as natural as BreastFeeding, Some one protest it. What is the world coming too.

Comment by R — December 30, 2008 @ 11:45 am

i don't see anything wrong here… why is America so narrowed minded dud !! what i see here is a beautiful mother feeding her baby and to sneak and take pictures is a stupid thing to do ,,,this is a pervert do-do that takes pictures and shows it on internet.!

Comment by Louis — December 30, 2008 @ 12:50 pm

Give me a break!!! Everyone knows what is involved in breastfeeding!!!! I personally do not want to stumble upon pics of boobs on Facebook. I also do not want to have pics posted on my home page. Why on earth do women insist on this display of their breasts? I support breastfeeding as a cause but think photos are offensive. Breastfeeding by the way is NOT a "super power" as the slogan says. Roughly half of the population will be able to do it if they have kids. That is not special to me but a is a common function among women who have a baby. My guess is that these women just want to show off the goods. Please cover up ladies. Whatever happened to modesty?

Comment by Ditty — December 30, 2008 @ 10:05 pm

By showing women breastfeeding we would be encouraging others to see breastfeeding as a healthy normal thing to do. At present in my country too many women are put off feeding their baby themselves because of their discomfort with how they will be viewed by society. To their baby's detriment.

Facebook make a stand to promote this very important health giving activity.

Comment by Rebekah — January 1, 2009 @ 9:10 am

You can't say that something isn't pornography because it "has been done by humans for as long as they've existed" or because it's a "natural thing".

Sex is both of those things as well.

Comment by Zach — January 2, 2009 @ 12:45 pm

I'm sick to death of people trying to control privately held companies by playing the victim. If you don't like their rules, start your own website.

Comment by Sue — January 3, 2009 @ 1:53 pm

Feeding a child is never obscene. Period.

Comment by Michelle Teheux — January 3, 2009 @ 2:55 pm

Yes they should its something i dont want to look at. people say its natural so its urinating but how would they feel if someone was sitting on a toilet and urinating. I am sure things offend these people who want to breast feed online its provate keep it private.!!!

Comment by sumer — January 3, 2009 @ 3:19 pm

i dont think people are calling it porn,i think not everyone believes it to beautiful.as far as the "its natural" statements,so is going to the bathroom and facebook wont allow that either.

Comment by roman — January 4, 2009 @ 10:45 am

Facebook isn't a right. If they want to ban it fine.

Personally I think it's stupid that mother's would want to show themselves breastfeeding. That's something that should be done in private.

I've been at restaurants a few times and some lady just whips it out there and starts feeding the kid. Seriously, does no one have any decency anymore?

Comment by John — January 25, 2009 @ 8:09 pm

1. Facebook is meant to be a private site, within the bounds of safety, it really should have no problem with people posting private, non-sexual images of babies nursing.

2. I've seen plenty acts of violence, stupidity and drunken behavoiur posted to Facebook that all should have been a) removed or b) tagged as offensive. Something positive should not be negatively scrutinized, banned, or sexualized in the name of removing it.

3. Comparing nursing a child with a breast to urinating or sex are absurd examples of natural functions – actually not great arguments.

4. Yes, Facebook is a privately owned company, BUT it has based its business and reputation on the inclusion and participation of its members. In the end, it will always do what it feels is in the company's best interest. As it's deeply rooted in "the people" – it would do well to listen to popular opinions. If this gets them the feedback they need to allow photos of nursing babies, all the better. People need to keep speaking out. It's how change happens. It's how this whole thing started: people tagging breastfeeding pictures as offensive.

5. Everyone need to get a grip and some perspective. What are we all getting so worked up about? A woman feeding her baby as it should be done and as it has been done since humans didn't have names for it or reason to get offended.

People are so ridiculous.

Comment by josh — January 26, 2009 @ 4:56 am

I totally support Facebook banning pictures of mothers breastfeeding their children. There are things that are meant to be kept private, such as an intimate thing between a mother and her child. There are young impressionable children that have facebook accounts (I have several teenage – male cousins that would just look at those pics and show their friends and laugh). Plus, have mothers considered that these pics are now on the internet, and can be brought back to haunt them or their son/daughter one day when they grow up? I FULLY support facebook, and hope that they will continue to monitor any other obscene pics that may be posted.

Comment by Elizabeth — January 26, 2009 @ 5:31 am

Oh come on people. The real reason if truth were told that women want pictures of themselves breastfeeding is not for the wholesome loving act of feeding your baby BUT to expose their breasts and nothing more. These women are sick and are looking for any opportuinty they can to show what they have to the world. If you think Facebook is a private way of communicating with friends(people) think again. I have a question WHY do you want to post these pics on facebook anyway. What is the thrill? Feed your baby and get on with life and quit making a big deal over it. If you want to send pics of you feeding your baby take a pic or a few hundred since you are obviously obssesed and send them to your relatives friends via email or have you never heard of that?

Comment by Kat — January 27, 2009 @ 11:46 am

I hope these women win and can continue to show pictures of their adorable kids and promote what's proven to be the best food on earth. Pictures of a breastfed baby are just as obscene as pictures of a baby on a bottle or with his face covered in carrots or oatmeal. There is nothing wrong with those pictures whatsoever and anyone who believes otherwise is the pervert, whether they want to think so or not.

Comment by Liz — January 29, 2009 @ 5:08 am

I know it's a lovely, natural thing, but you're not allowed to display any nudity. Breasts are a form of nudity. If you really want people looking at your breasts, maybe invite them over and flash them or become a stripper.

Comment by Cameron — February 2, 2009 @ 12:47 am

I don't think its malicious discrimination to remove the photos. The statement Facebook makes is valid- as a company they cannot afford to waste resources and manpower reviewing every single photo that garners a complaint in order to determine if it is "art", innocent family photo, or porn. By having a broad "no nudity" rule, they cover all their bases.

The other option is to let Facebook become another MySpace- MySpace has the same "no nudity" rule in their user agreement but it is not enforced (as evidenced by the amount of questionable photos uploaded to their site and allowed to remain).

Yes breastfeeding is beautiful- to some, not all. While breastfeeding photography like pregnant belly photos are growing in popularity, that is not to say that everyone wants to see them- even within the confines of your "private" internet photo album.

If you don't like Facebook's policy then create your own website for your family photos. There are plenty of photo blog website templates and hosts like blogger or wordpress that allow you to create your own sites without too much need for extensive web design skills. There are other photo hosting sites like smug mug and photobucket you can use to host your photos as well. The options are out there to allow you show off your happy preggo/mommy photos without worrying about being censored by a "heartless corporate entity."

Comment by sherry — February 4, 2009 @ 6:28 am

I love it. Girls who would never show them to me are showing them all over the internet. Pro breast feeding sites are an endless source of boobies. I love it. Some good stuff out there. Keep it up girls. This beats playboys "girls next door" hands down. Keep it up girls, I'm proud of ya.

Comment by William — March 8, 2009 @ 2:43 am

Breastfeeding is a very natural thing and a very beautiful thing.urinating however is also a natural thing that we human’s do, but it is something you do privately. Breastfeeding is a way for a child to eat You don’t eat in private so why should a breastfed baby? In africa they can walk around breastfeeding there babies and no body says anything because it is normal their. People have turned everything it a Pornographic imagine that something so innocent such as breastfeeding your Child is put into the same category

Comment by Katie — February 24, 2010 @ 6:02 pm

breastfeeding is a natural thing why ban the photos. if you look at some nudist groups on facebook you will find some nude pics how come they arent banned . facebook give the breastfeeding mothers their freedom of expressing themselves in photos and enjoy the freedom with them……….

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