30/9/22, 14:55
Oversight Board | Independent Judgment. Transparency. Legitimacy.
The user states that the content was posted as part of the national “Pink October”
campaign for breast cancer prevention. It shows some of the main signs of breast cancer,
which the user says are essential for early detection of this disease and save lives.
6. Explanation of Facebook’s Decision
Facebook clarified that its original decision to remove the content was a mistake. The
company explained to the Board that the Community Standards apply to Instagram.
While the Community Standards generally prohibit uncovered and visible female nipples,
they are allowed for “educational or medical purposes,” including for breast cancer
awareness. Facebook restored the content because it fell within this exception.
Facebook claims that allowing this content on the platform is important for its values of
“Voice” and “Safety.” The company states that the detection and original enforcement
against this content was entirely automated. That automated process failed to determine
that the content had clear “educational or medical purposes.” Facebook also claims that
it is not relevant to the Board’s consideration of the case whether the content was
removed through an automated process, or whether there was an internal review to a
human moderator. Facebook would like the Board to focus on the outcome of
enforcement, and not the method.
7. Third party submissions
The Oversight Board considered 24 public comments for this case: eight from Europe;
five from Latin American and Caribbean, and 11 from the United States and Canada. Seven
were submitted on behalf of an organization. One comment was submitted without
consent to publish.
The submissions covered the following themes: whether the post complied with
Facebook’s Community Standards and values; the importance of breast cancer
awareness in early diagnosis; critique on the over-sexualization and censorship of female
nipples compared to male nipples; Facebook’s influence on society; over-enforcement
due to automated content moderation, as well as feedback for improving the public
comment process.
8 Oversight Board Analysis
https://www.oversightboard.com/decision/IG-7THR3SI1
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