Comments on: Facebook Bans Breastfeeding Pictures

By: mama of 4

mama of 4 — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:46:35 +0000

Here is my issue with it all. In almost every state, in the U.S. breastfeeding is protected, by law, stating that it is NOT deemed obscene. It is exempt from public nudity laws. It is deemed NOT a lewd or lascivious act. In many states it is actually a violation of the mother and the child’s civil rights to ask them to leave, cover up or nurse in a different area. My question is, how is Facebook above this law?

Facebook’s headquarters are in California, so shouldn’t the business be required to adhere to the same laws as any other business in California? If so:

Right to Breastfeed in Public (1997)
Section 43.3 of the Civil Code

“Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a mother may breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, except the private home or residence of another, where the mother and the child are otherwise authorized to be present.”

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 23:55:51 +0000

“Why not just quit Facebook? If you go out to a pizza place and the pizza is not good you don’t go back do you? This is an interesting branding problem don’t you think?”
I think the pizza place analogy is a very poor example of what mothers are experiencing. If I don’t like a pizza place there’s at least 5 more in my neighborhood to go to. Facebook is the only place to share a large amount of information with my friends and family in a quick fashion. If I didn’t care for the pizza, I would be making the choice to leave. If the pizza place told me I couldn’t eat there because I was nursing in public or they didn’t like the color of my hair or any other arbitrary reason, that would be discrimination and against the law. Facebook may be a private company, but as you pointed out in your blog they have over 31 million people joined worldwide. I would consider that a very public venue. And if the right to breastfeed in public is guaranteed in most places worldwide, why should we not protest facebook discriminating against us.

By: Dusty

Dusty — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:37:15 +0000

“Add to it that everyone that signs up agrees to their policies before you can set up an account?”

Very true people never read the TOU agreement. Most people don’t realize Facebook owns rights to everything you post in your account. Any content you post in Facebook, they own full rights to distribute, reproduce, sell, etc. So that photo you took or marketing idea they now have rights to use as they wish. This is actually fairly common terms of use in the internets, which very few people realize. Probably because no one reads the TOU.

http://www.facebook.com/terms.php?ref=pf

By: BIG Kahuna

BIG Kahuna — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:56:22 +0000

@Wendy Maynard: Having a policy pertaining to nudity is hardly discriminating (whether it’s natural or not). And Facebook is ALLOWING people to use their service for FREE. If you don’t like their rules go somewhere else. If they wanted they could ban photos of people in bathing suits or smoking cigs. They can make any policy they darn please. Add to it that everyone that signs up agrees to their policies before you can set up an account…

By: BIG Kahuna

BIG Kahuna — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:52:29 +0000

@Charles Sipe: “Many people have no choice but to use Facebook if all their friends are on it.” That’s an interesting take and a pretty powerful position Facebook is in. Which is why all these complaining people haven’t left. But the service is free and that’s their rules. They can hop over to Myspace anytime.

By: Charles Sipe

Charles Sipe — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:15:32 +0000

On one hand I agree that Facebook has the right to ban these photos. On the other hand, they are so big now that I think it would be wrong to some degree to censor their users according to their standards. Many people have no choice but to use Facebook if all their friends are on it.

By: Wendy Maynard

Wendy Maynard — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:18:45 +0000

I think it’s a shame that Facebook is banning pictures of breastfeeding moms. Why should a person who is enjoying the service that Facebook is offering have to leave because they have discriminating policies? I’ve looked at some of the pictures that were banned and they are sweet pictures of moms bonding with their babies. Just because they have a nipple in them, they are deemed obscene. I don’t think this is right when the company allows extremely provocative pictures of thong-clad bottoms.

By: BIG Kahuna

BIG Kahuna — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:25:47 +0000

The moms can’t leave Facebook. They are addicted to it. They’ll complain but the truth is they won’t leave.

By: Joi

Joi — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:55:43 +0000

Personally, I think it’s funny that Facebook will ban breastfeeding photos (no problem with them doing that, btw), and yet run sexy ads on the sidebars.

By: phdinparenting

phdinparenting — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:45:21 +0000

So glad you asked….I answered all of your questions here:

http://phdinparenting.com/2008/12/30/breaking-it-down-for-facebook/