Facebook announced in May that it would ban videos
showing graphic violence while it carried out a review
Facebook is allowing videos showing people being
decapitated to be posted and shared on its site
once again.
The social network had introduced a temporary ban in
May following complaints that the clips could cause
long-term psychological damage.
The US firm confirmed it now believed its users should
be free to watch and condemn such videos. It added it
was, however, considering adding warnings.
One suicide prevention charity criticised the move.
"It only takes seconds of exposure to such graphic
material to leave a permanent trace - particularly in a
young person's mind," said Dr Arthur Cassidy, a former
psychologist who runs a branch of the Yellow Ribbon
Program in Northern Ireland.
"The more graphic and colourful the material is, the
more psychologically destructive it becomes."
Facebook allows anyone aged 13 and above to be a
member.
Its terms and conditions now state that it will remove
photos or videos that "glorify violence" in addition to
other banned material, including a woman's "fully
exposed breast".
New rules
The BBC was alerted to Facebook's change in policy by
a reader who said the firm was refusing to remove a
page showing a clip of a masked man killing a woman,
which is believed to have been filmed in Mexico.
It was posted last week under the title, Challenge:
Anybody can watch this video?
Some Facebook users complained about a video
showing a decapitation being allowed to remain on the
site
"Remove this video too many young innocent minds
out there shouldn't see this!!!" wrote one user in the
comments section below.
"This is absolutely horrible, distasteful and needs to be
removed... there are too many young minds that can
see this. I'm 23 and I'm very disturbed after seeing a
couple of seconds of it," wrote another.
The social network later confirmed it was allowing such
material to be posted again.
"Facebook has long been a place where people turn to
share their experiences, particularly when they're
connected to controversial events on the ground, such
as human rights abuses, acts of terrorism and other
violent events," said a spokeswoman.
"People are sharing this video on Facebook to
condemn it. If the video were being celebrated, or the
actions in it encouraged, our approach would be
different.
"However, since some people object to graphic video of
this nature, we are working to give people additional
control over the content they see. This may include
warning them in advance that the image they are about
to see contains graphic content."
The firm also disabled the adverts for third-party
products that had been appearing alongside the video.
Advisors concerned
Facebook originally pulled decapitation videos after the
Family Online Safety Institute - a member of its Safety
Advisory Board - complained that they "crossed a line"
bearing in mind how young some of its members were.
Another of the board members, London-based Childnet
International, said it had concerns about the videos
being allowed back on the site.
"Such content should be taken down," said its chief
executive Will Gardner.
"There is a need to raise issues happening around the
world, there is that argument, but some content is
horrific.
"We would want to see steps to try and protect people
from coming across such content. I'll tell Facebook
what our view is, absolutely."
'Profoundly shocking'
Decapitation videos are available elsewhere on the net -
including on Google's YouTube - but critics have raised
concern that Facebook's news feeds and other sharing
functions mean it is particularly adept at spreading
such material.
Some psychologists have raised concerns that watching
graphic violence can harm the viewer
"I have seen some of these videos - they are profoundly
shocking," said John Carr, who sits on the executive
board of the UK government's Council on Child
Internet Safety.
"Facebook has taken leave of its senses. Those videos
will fuel countless nightmares among the young and
the sensitive."
The idea of Facebook issuing a blanket ban had,
however, concerned some freedom-of-speech
campaigners who had suggested it was the
responsibility of parents - not the company - to protect
children on the internet.
However, the French digital rights group La Quadrature
du Net said it was still concerned that Facebook was
reserving the right to take down the videos if it took
issue with the way they were presented.
"It shows how much Facebook is in power to decide
whatever will or will not be expressed through its
network," said the organisation's co-founder Jeremie
Zimmermann.
"It plays a profoundly anti-democratic role when it
makes any such choice, whatever the limits are and
whatever the good reasons it uses to make the decision.
Only a judicial authority should be able to restrict
fundamental freedoms according to the rule of law."
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