"Lactivists" Call Out Facebook

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