Yesterday while perusing Facebook I came across yet another disgusting animal cruelty post. Like our good friend Chris – The Storyreading Ape, I am totally sickened by these posts. So I thought I’d do something about it. I clicked on the top righthand corner of the post and followed the drop down menu for complaints. When asked why I wished to complain I clicked on the ‘animal cruelty‘ button. Almost immediately the offending post disappeared. That was that I naively thought.
A few hours later I received the following from Facebook via email:
Thank you for taking the time to report something that you feel may violate our Community Standards. Reports like yours are an important part of making Facebook a safe and welcoming environment. We reviewed the share you reported for containing graphic violence and found it doesn’t violate our Community Standards.
They couldn’t even get that right! Graphic violence? I specifically reported animal cruelty!!!
The fact that the post was provided by the Daily Mail, a leading newspaper here in the UK, couldn’t possibly have anything to do with it, could it? No, perish the thought that they might upset a major daily and possibly a corporate shareholder.
Silly cynical old me…
Clearly when it comes to Facebook’s much vaunted Community Standards, they only pay lip service to it. Were you or I to post such an offensive item, you can bet your sweet life it would be deleted and we would be censured! If we continued, they would close down our account immediately.
Chances are that when I press the ‘publish’ button for this post, and it automatically appears on my own Facebook page, they will take exception to it. Well to hell with them!!!
In instances like this, Facebook is nothing more than the internet equivalent of the lowest form of gutter press when it comes to things like animal cruelty and other assorted questionable posts. It’s a pity because when it comes to keeping up with our friends, it is a brilliant medium. Do any other social media sites condone animal cruelty? Pinterest doesn’t I know. If anyone knows of a social media site with all encompassing legitimate ethics, please tell me and I’ll swap sites.
Shame on you Facebook. Do the decent thing for once, delete all animal cruelty posts.
😦
Have We Had Help? 
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog….. An Author Promotions Enterprise! and commented:
I agree with Jack’s sentiment in this issue of cruelty to animals!
I also extend it to cruelty to ANYTHING and ANYONE in any physical or mental way!
BTW – if FB want to delete Jack’s post from their media, they will find it on mine as well (plus, on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and various other places on the internet!)
Chris Graham (aka TSRA)
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Great minds think alike Chris. It’s already on Twitter, Linkedin, Google+ and Pinterest 🙂
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I don’t have a fb account; never had, never will.
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It can be a time waster if your not careful Helsworth. 😉
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What kind of post was it? I’ve seen posts showing cruelty to animals but asking us to stand up against it, or to help catch the perpetrator. I still find them distressing though. At the same time we cant pretend its not happening.
Btw I agree fb is great for keeping up with distant friends and family, and I’ve ‘met’ many families around the world who have a child with my daughter’s syndrome, which has been a real lifeline at times, but for anything else it’s USELESS!!!
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Cruelty to a cat Ali. A couple of weeks back there was a vid posted on Facebook showing three teenagers (boys) soaking a kitten in lighter fluid then setting it alight! Facebook did nothing…
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Omg! Thats awful! How can that not contravene their rules? Hopefully it will at least have led to those boys getting punished by law. What the hell makes people do such things? Its disgusting. Its vile. Its a terrible thing to say but those kids should feel the pain they inflicted on that poor animal. And fb should be punished in some way for condoning it.
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The one I found was no better Ali, and you already know what FB said about it. 😦
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Its unbelievable Jack. Fb are such a large powerful organisation, they could be sending out a strong message by standing up to mindless violence… and they should be. Makes me feel like closing my account, but I value my CFC connections and dont want to lose them.
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Reblogged this on Freedom For Cetaceans- Causes.
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Thanks Adam 🙂
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you’re very welcome jack
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FB standards are often marginal. On the flip side, there are people that often stretch the limits or make false reports to harass others. There are evil people on the planet and it does get frustrating trying to deal with the many messes they have created. But we must keep trying to overcome evil.
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I couldn’t have put it better myself Duncan. 🙂
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Reblogged this on theowlladyblog.
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Thanks for the reblog 🙂
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I recently said to all my friends on FB, that much as I love them all, if I were to see one more animal cruelty photo or video, I would need to delete my account – it just kills me!
What im really afraid of is that publising this stuff can give sick people new ideas.
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Well, at least as an individual, you can delete them when they appear on your ‘home’ timeline page as I do Amanda. The pity of it is that FB won’t do the job themselves…
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If i were to own a corporation such as FB, it would be a happy place to visit, people can watch the news if they want reality. I agree wholeheartedly with you…
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There is the problem in a nutshell Amanda. How many business people are altruistic? Zero…
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I couldn’t agree with you more, Jack. I’ve been an activist all my life, promoting for the rights of all sentient beings. Thanks for taking action on this matter, regardless of Facebook’s response. We (animal activist friends & I) went through a tug-of-war with FB over a “Wolf Recipe” page that promoted wolf slaughtering. It continues to be an uphill battle, but I’m in it for the long haul. Every voice makes a difference, whether or not we can see an immediate result.
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Me too !!!
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