The social network claimed it was “sexually explicit” content. Figure of Neptune has been on display for more than 450 years.
Facebook censored a photograph of a 450th century Italian statue claiming it was “sexually explicit” content. The bronze sculpture of Neptune has been located in a square in Bologna, Piazza del Nettuno, for more than XNUMX years.
The image was not authorized because it violates Facebook's rules and usage policy, (…) as it is sexually explicit content, which excessively shows the body, particularly certain parts. The use of nude images is not permitted, even if their use is for educational or artistic reasons.”, justified the social network, in a clarification addressed to the author of the publication, local writer Elisa Barbari, and which she herself published on her personal page.
The Italian author chose Neptune by the Flemish sculptor Giambologna to illustrate her page with “curiosities and points of interest in Bologna”.
After the criticism generated and several news about what happened in the national and foreign media, Facebook backed down on the decision, assuming it was “an error”.
Our team processes millions of images per week and some are incorrectly blocked. This image [of Neptune] does not violate our usage policy. We apologize for the error and have already informed the user that we have approved her publication.”, Facebook clarified in a statement.
