"Lactivists" Call Out Facebook
Sat Sep 8, 2007 9:50AM EDT
See Comments (6)
As Facebook moves to take some privacy away from members by opening public profiles to search engines, it told one Facebook group it is not being private enough: breastfeeding moms.
The social networking site began pulling down pictures of women breastfeeding this week because the presence of a bare breast, nipple or no nipple showing, constitutes "obscene content." But as Facebook communities are wont to do, the lactating moms didn't accept the moves without a fight. Calling themselves "lactivists" (great word), some moms formed the Facebook group, "Hey, Facebook, breastfeeding is not obscene!" With more than 7,000 members, the group argues:
"We're wondering: what about a baby breastfeeding is obscene? Especially in comparison to MANY other pictures posted all over Facebook that really are obscene.
Facebook, we expect more from you, and we expect you to realize that nursing moms everywhere have a right to show pictures of their babies eating, just like bottle-fed babies have a right to be seen."
They make a good point. I am sure there are many pictures of teens with lots of cleavage showing on Facebook. Depending on the photo, this move speaks more to a societal discomfort with breastfeeding. But, again, it depends on the photo.
We'll see if the lactivists are as successful in getting Facebook to renege as were the students who led a Facebook campaign criticizing the HSBC bank's plan to drop its no-overdraft-fee policy. The bank did not start charging overdraft fees.
What do you think? Is Facebook overreacting to the breastfeeding photos, or doing its part to keep the site free of obscene images?
LINK: Breast Isn't Best on Facebook [TechCrunch]
Related: Facebook Privacy Settings Now More Important
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2 Posted by rlaird@flash.net on Sat Sep 8, 2007 3:17PM EDT Report Abuse
Tempest in a teapot, make mine with milk, please. It may not be indecent, but that does not make it decent, either. There is nothing obscene about breastfeeding. However, demanding your rights to show your breasts with baby attached is pushing the limits of propriety, though. C'mon, breastfeeding is natural, so is peeing. I understand that there are public urinals on some (probably old) streets in Italy (I've never been there, but I couldn't do it). Just because you can do it, does not mean you should do it. I believe most who do it in as public a venue as possible are exhibitionists, no self discipline, no regard for the sensibilities of others. What's wrong with covering up with a little baby towel? I have no problem with that. A little propriety, please. Public street, public bus, theater, library, hallway, park, playground... COVER UP for propriety's sake. Notice that I am trying to take the middle ground. Unfortunately I think there is too much pushing the limits in society. (Makes judges too powerful by the legalization shadow over propriety.) Those who do so are trying to stand out. All well and good, but please pick something important. As I said, tempest in a teapot issue. I am more offended by the tempest than I am by the subject matter. -- Facebook has the "right to exercise their own sense of propriety" and to oversee the content on the equipment under their control. If you want to show the world your breasts, hook up your own equipment to the internet.
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3 Posted by yentomchris4 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:56PM EDT Report Abuse
Uhhhhhhhhhhhh.Why is this even an issue?Who cares about breast feeding?I mean come on it's BREAST FEEDING!Oh whoa.No one wants to see pics of u brestfeeding.No one does.Just becuase it isn't wrong doesn't mean it's right u know?Breast feed in private please.PLEASE.
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4 Posted by f_zuhairi on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:05PM EDT Report Abuse
there's a reason why facebook is doing this. there are all sorts of people using the internet and some of them maybe stalkers or desperate man. it's for their own safety
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5 Posted by such_momjeans on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:46PM EDT Report Abuse
Breast is best for babies! An online support group is a fantastic idea for nursing moms. In my day, breastfeeding was condemned as obscene(!) I did it anyway, for the sake of my kids. Nursing mothers ought to be able to form their own online community without harassment. Put our children first. Outdated attitudes belong down the toilet.
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1 Posted by cabrobst on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:16PM EDT Report Abuse
No mammal would think there is anything wrong with breastfeeding, it is as natural a part of raising children as a rounded belly or birth itself. Breastfeeding is recommended by physicians. The idea that the human breast is in any way sexual is a holdover from Victorian England, where 'legs' was also an obscene word. Therefore those people who think it 'obscene' are not human. They ought to make good eating. At the very least they are inhumane. But what of the trampling of our constitutional rights to free speech? All these efforts to 'clean up' what the public sees without even touching those things that are actually perverse and obscene isn't getting a peep out of our constitutional law judges. What, is there no one left to bribe them?