After a rollicking New Year’s Eve kick-off to 2011, Dutch photographer Jan van Breda posted some photographs of the party he attended on Facebook. Photos of scantily-clad men, kissing each other on the lips. One hour later, his account had been removed.
Just fifteen minutes after Jan van Breda had put up the photos under his profile, he received an email from Facebook which read:
“You have uploaded a photo which violates our Users’ Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. Therefore this photograph has been removed. Photographs which are deemed offensive for an individual or a group, or where nudity, the use of drugs or violence are clearly visible, are not permitted on Facebook. Our policy has been designed to keep Facebook a safe and protected social network site for all our users, including the many children who are signed up with the site.”
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Account removed
When Mr van Breda went to check his Facebook profile a little later to see which photo specifically had been considered offensive, he discovered - much to his bewilderment - that his whole account had been removed. After a lengthy email correspondence, his profile was re-enabled, on the condition that he delete any photographs with a sexual slant.
“I refused to do that. In the end, it turned out that they removed one photo, the rest were still in my profile.”
The photograph in question was taken during the Pink Christmas gay festival and depicted a fashion show on the Zeedijk, a lively street in Amsterdam’s Chinese district. Two buttocks are visible in the photo – not completely bare but partially covered by ‘chaps’. Full-length chaps are leg coverings attached to the waist by a belt. They’re often worn by horse riders over their jodhpurs to keep their legs dry and warm. In gay circles, chaps are frequently worn without trousers underneath.
“I took this photograph on a public street in Amsterdam, with some twenty or so law enforcement officers looking on. At Facebook, they seem to consider that earth-shattering. From my point of view, they’re pretty innocuous images of dancing gay men. I’ve come across a lot more explicit and shocking material on Facebook.”
“Share everything”
A professional photographer, Mr Van Breda won the Silver Camera Award (Zilveren Camera) in 2008 - an annual award for photojournalists in the Netherlands - and gets regular assignments from ANP press agency and the Amsterdam daily newspaper Het Parool. He also photographs gay parties and festivals and posts the images on Facebook, where he gets a considerable response from gay users.
“Facebook is meant to enable people to stay in touch with the world and share everything. But if there’s a photo in your profile which is judged to be unsuitable, your profile is disabled.”
According to Jan-Willem de Bruin of COC Netherlands, a large gay rights organisation, Facebook regularly deletes profiles with ‘offensive gay photos’, but he doesn’t want to accuse the social media site outright of upholding one set of rules for heterosexuals and another for homosexuals.
“I do know that the profile of Viola Volt, an Amsterdam drag queen, was removed at one point because she had posted photos that Facebook didn’t approve of. Her account has since been restored. “
Double standards
On the website of Gaykrant, a Dutch fortnightly gay magazine, one user, Bart de Graaf from the east of the country, says that his Facebook account was also removed “after posting harmless photos on the Gay Pride page”. Mr de Graaf explains that Facebook took the action after receiving a complaint from another user, who himself posts what Mr de Graaf considers offensive material, including photos depicting Nazi symbols.
“Lodging a complaint doesn’t seem to help the situation; this user keeps coming back. I’ve meanwhile opened a new account, but the hatred goes on relentlessly. I often wonder which side Facebook is on.”
Facebook has refused to comment on the matter so far.
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I see users are more intended to express hatred one against another, well thats a shame.
This is a laughable "issue". If you don't like Facebook's policies, start your own social networking website. If you're not willing to start your own site you have to accept their rules. Freedom of expression is not to be interpreted as a right to use someone else's property (i.e. Facebook) to broadcast your views regardless of content. Take some ethics and law classes, please.
je kan niks er aan doen want het is hun stijl van leven. dus je moet ze het gunen
But why do people post such pictures on social networking sites? Why do they have to publicise their intimate/personal life on networking sites?
Jasmin, you would have been a great worker in the early catholic church...with your collection of fig leafs...you would be the one running around to all the great art placing your leafs on the "intimate" parts. I read that a new US governor somewhere ordered the breast covered on an old statue of a Greek women in the state capitol... Is that next for you? If you have psychological problems with the human body, that's sad, but don't put it on the rest of us. Have you ever thought of visiting a nudist camp for your next vacation.
oleoposting, I see you are still acting out your same, old "Shtick" of insults. Did, she push your button when she gave her cultural opinion of the article? Didn't you learn anything when you earned your sociology degree about the many cultures? Your Shtick of insults are very typical and does not support the gay community's agenda's for equality in a multi-culture world. In this forum, there was only one person who stated he/she was gay and gave some logical arguments to support the gay community and who they are in the community at large. Whereas, you, in your desire to insult Jasmin and others, hindered and hurt the cause of equality. If equality is goal, change the Shtick.
WHAT?....My comments cause you to limit your "equality in a multi-culture world"....come on hram3, you can do better than that. And the word "Shtick" is mine Hrrame4, get your own.... Yours is "gays should be what Haram5 wants them to be or else we are against equality in a multi-culture world....Harramm8, you are a very devious puppy....You HATE gays and you play the game that if we don't play by your rules and definitions we don't support equality. Logic for a very shallow mind. You wrote a whole post without using the term "lifestyle"...have you changed your definition of Homosexuality? Stop playing word games (which your not very good at) tell us your definition of Homosexuality...without using your "lifestyle" shtick....then we will know exactly what your think....or will you continue to hide your Hate of Homosexuals with your "multi-culture" Shtick?
You stated "Haram, you running out of Schicks?...." in a previous post. Now you state "And the word "Shtick" is mine Hrrame4, get your own...."...Which want do you claim? Your shtick of insults makes one believe you and Rodney Dangerfield are kinsman. Be a good role model and show some positive aspects, okay! I know you can do it, if you will just quit stomping your feet and holding your breath when someone of another culture doesn't agree with you. You were very rude to the lady from India and you know it, Alanposting.
Thanks Hiram! Some people only know how to be on a social networking site, but do not know how to be a social human being. My culture is not to offend people, and forgive those who do so.
Human body is a great creation of God, but not to be displayed in an unappropriate manner. Work of art should not be compared to what is being displayed on net and elsewhere. Do not malign great artistes with your words to disagree with me. You have a psychological problem of creating problems to a simple question.
"Human body is a great creation of God"....GOD? We have nothing more to say because if you believe that, your mines of any thought process about sexuality....You probable also think a women gave birth while she was a virgin...So where do we go from there?
Jasmin, they do in order to offend those who don't accept their behaviours as normal. They do it because it is who they are. They do it because they don't have any respect for themselves and more especially others. "They" does not mean all gay people fall under the previous mention reasons but a very large percentage of them hurt the gay agenda and their struggle to show the world that their lifestyle is normal. If, this type of behaviour, the one posted on this article, is typical of the gay community, then they ( the community at large) will never accept the lifestyle as normal.
wow my god! it's no surprise that this I mean, facebook banned all users using free expressions, I unce was a victim. but as I see, I'm gay and here in brazil there is a huge violence against gays in the street. I hope the world could be more and more a better place for all the people, with all kind of race , nationality and sexual options to live.
"When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."......Now, one does not have to accept the teachings of Jesus but according to the teachings specific there are specific lifestyles are not accepted. If someone who calls himself/herself a Christian and continues to live one or more of the of the lifestyles, then that person is not leading a Christian lifestyle. Jesus, when talking with Mary recognised her lifestyle as a sin and he told her so. He told her go and sin no more. He din't tell her to continue the lifetyle because he knew it was a sin and he expected her to go and sin no more. The standard of what is or isn't decent is clearly written for those who are Christians. Those standards are road markers which guide Christians down their path. They keep the Christian from taking a non-return detour with a deadend. Once a person becomes a Christian, the teachings of Christ are to go and sin no more. For those who themselves Christians, you are new creatures in Christ and are no longer drunkards, gluttons, etc. because you no longer commit those sins. This message is for those who call themselves Christians or those who are tired of living a lifestyle as Mary lived. If you are not and wish to be a Christian, you must go and sin no more.
Hiram, go get a life.
Seems to me that some of the people here - at least, those who profess to being Christian - have forgotton his teachings. Christ condemned hatred, violence and bigotry, not images of bare behinds or, indeed, those who love others of the same sex! Even those of you of other faiths ought to know better. It makes me so sad to see such hatred and prejudice from those who claim to know what is decent, or, indeed, what God expects of humanity. Shame on you!
Alan ,
Please don't be so silly .Most of us are not condemning " bare behinds.Don't any of you know how to use the language & grammar any more ? Reading comprehension is no longer a part of the curriculum anymore , is it ?
Saskia, before sounding off about grammar and comprehension, please read what I actually wrote carefully - I mention more than just 'bare behinds' in my plea. Furthermore, looking at your punctuation, I would dare to suggest that you might want to look to the panes of your own glasshouse before throwing these particular stones.
Wow, I just wandered onto this site (thanks, Tim!) and I can see the hate is everywhere. People are so quick to judge things they don't understand and hold others to their 'standards'. It's very disappointing. The Netherlands used to be such a beacon of tolerance, diversity and hope. Not anymore. What a pity.
Hallo Gart,
Exactly where do you see the hate you speak of ? Please copy & paste the examples . And you might feel better in knowing that the Netherlands , which once was known for it's love of freedom & liberty, has become a beacon for all kinds of perverse lifestyles. Please notice my choice of words. And lets be honest...no one tolerates all things. Do you ? Do you tolerate others who think differently than yourself ? There must be some kind of standard, or what is the point? Standards exist in order to hold up & benefit society as a whole . I'm not judging this issue quickly at all.. I've had nearly 60 years to think about it & observe the consequences..& I've lived in both San Fransisco & Amsterdam. Nederland is more culturally diverse than ever before, & it also has more crime than ever before & more friction . I think that is disappointing .
well saskia...."perverse lifestyles"...their's one. Do you include yourself in that definition?...or is your the "acceptable lifestyle".
Gart van Gennip, from your comment, you give the impression you "understand" the things others don't and your "standards" of tolerance, diversity, and hope have faded away in the Netherlands because they aqre not your standards. As to this article, did Facebook lack tolerance for the person who had their information removed from "it's" site (or) did the person who had his/her information lack tolerance for those who did not accept his/her postings?
saskia....you are out of the dark ages...why don't you do some history studies.."standards of decency"...does that include invading countries and killing thousands of people, does that enter into your "standards of decency"...you know the old song..."you have to be taught to love and hate"...well its true, and your family must be doosies....and anyone who reads this site already knows that Harim lives on another planet and dismisses his comments immediately which im sure is his motivator.
Facebook(or anyone else for that matter ) is not "homophobic " (whatever that really means besides being clever propaganda to alter society .Just because they don't want that crap & that porn on their website means that some people still have standards of decency (which Nederland has not had for for for a century .I know what I'm talking about..my parents were born there & I've lived there. Some people find homosexuality perverted ,unnatural ,disgusting , It does not mean they "fear " it ....so come on now...be tolerant of that fact.
Saskia, they can't be tolerant because they are heterophobia.
Hiram, who is they? And how can any group be "heterophobia"? Do you mean that all homosexuals are heterophobic? Some kind of massive generalisation that is... but, there again, I've seen many of your weird, generalising and, I might add, hateful and self-righteous so-called 'comments' on here. I consider myself a warm, open, giving and accepting homosexual, one who gives quite a lot back to society. But, leaving myself to one side, as it were, I seldom if ever see homosexuals commenting on this site about how sick and unloving a person you appear to be, and many others like you who rant like deranged and very lonely people on website such as this. Here's hoping you rot in your own anger and displeasure - or maybe you could address some really important issues, like religious hatred, world hunger or the stat of the environment, for a change and... get a life!
To the Gay-Guy (who responded to Hiram) & who considers himself to be warm,open ,giving & accepting"..ben je gek ?....you are kidding ,right ? Or perhaps that how you describe yourself on your Facebook when you want to meet other singles ? Your nasty, evil comments at the last part of your response proves our point .
I 'm not surprised though, I fully expected to see that kind of bigoted response to anyone who dared to comment & defend Facebook. I have never met homosexuals who were not bigots...and I've lived in both San Fransisco & Amsterdam.
Hi Saskia, I don't think you read my comments in the context of your and Hiram's. I don't think what I wrote was particularly offensive. Also, it's slightly rude to start using another language when someone has clearly written in English. I hope this 'gek' thing is not too rude. As for using Facebook to meet 'singles', ahum... Facebook is not for that purpose. I use it to stay in contact with family and - mainly heterosexual - friends, including 'liberal'Christians, Sikhs and Buddhists. I have in fact reported another gay person and two apparently heterosexual people on Facebook for truly pornographic material, not for a photo showing one man's buttocks. Please try to be slightly less hysterical, and so generalising in your comments. If 1/20 people are homosexal, how can you possibly KNOW they are all bigoted? For the rest, go in peace.
Dear GayGuy ,
Gek means "crazy" in Dutch . I typed Ben je gek? = Are you crazy ? Feel better now? This is a Dutch site & I used 3 Dutch words. Why is that slightly rude ?
Thanks, Saskia, for the translation of what you wrote. I am well aware that Radio Netherlands Worldwide is a Dutch site, but this is the English-language part of the website. I wrote in English, as did Hiram and others. It's just common courtesy to respond in the same language in such discussions. But, as you don't agree, I will just add that you are a touch âldfrinzich... in more ways than one (and that's not rude, by the way, and fully acceptable on the RNW site, I guess). Greetings, a gay guy
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