Too rude? Facebook bans breast cancer ads over ‘partial nudity’

Breast cancer survivors are angry at a Facebook decision to block an advertising campaign raising awareness of the disease.

Ten cancer survivors, nine of them women, went topless for the annual Pink Buns campaign, which raises funding for Breast Cancer Network Australia.

But Facebook has put a block on the images, saying they violate the site’s nudity policy.

“We certainly understand that the ads are promoting awareness for breast cancer, however the images associated with the ad are in violation of our policies for partial nudity,” Facebook said in an email to the BCNA.

“We will uphold the (ban) here until the ads can be modified for compliance.”

The decision has been roundly criticised on social media and the cancer survivors have expressed their disappointment.

Listener Mark makes an interesting point.

He woke to a ‘friend’ request from this stranger, and yet Facebook bans these 👉 https://t.co/U4yjue4ZyN ads for “partial nudity”… 🤔 pic.twitter.com/j5rO48ZJXI

— 3AW Breakfast (@RossAndJohn) May 2, 2019

A 3AW listener, Amber, called Neil Mitchell yesterday to complain about the ads before news of the Facebook ban had been shared.

“I walked into Bakers Delight this morning and I was really shocked to see a semi-naked woman in the posters in the latest breast cancer advertising.

“She’s got her boobs out and she’s just holding buns in front.

“I’m all for them doing what they’re doing, I’ve got two friends who are battling this hideous disease, but it’s really embarrassing.

“I won’t take my boys in there while they’ve got those posters up.”

For his part, Neil Mitchell said he had seen the ads previously and they hadn’t left an impression.