Facebook and Instagram Reopen Ban on Naked Breasts
“Lactivists” worked tirelessly in the 2000s to discredit the idea that breasts are inherently sexual and #FreetheNipple became a mainstream campaign in 2013. After Facebook removed clips from Lina Esco’s documentary Free the Nipple, the phrase became popular feminism parlance.
The campaign was supported by many college campuses and celebrities such as Rihanna and Miley Cyrus. Last week, Florence Pugh spoke out about wearing a sheer, hot-pink Valentino gown on red carpet , saying “Officially, I don’t want to offend anyone, but my point is: How can my nipples offend you that much?”
In 2015, Micol Hebron, a Los Angeles-based artist, created stickers featuring male nipples
Hebron was invited to Instagram headquarters with a group if influencers in 2019 to discuss the company’s nipple policies. Hebron stated that during that meeting, Hebron learned that there weren’t any transgender people on the content moderator policy team and that there weren’t gender-neutral bathrooms. “That was all that I needed to understand the conversation about gender and inclusion was not being held at Meta,” Hebron stated. A Meta representative disagreed with Hebron’s description of the event and said: “Much has changed from 2019.”
Hebron stated that she was happy that the oversight board addressed the issue of gender-based discrimination. Hebron stated, “Beyond just letting women be topless, which isn’t at all my interest,” she said. It sounds absurd to many people to talk about nipples. But if you consider the various ways governments try to control and repress female-identifying, trans, or non-binary body types, it is not.
Meta “welcomes board’s decision” in this case, a representative stated in a statement. He noted that the photos of the couple had been restored “prior to that decision”.
The spokesperson said that “We are continually evolving our policies in order to make our platforms safer for all.” We know there is more we can do to support the LGBTQ+ community. That means working with experts, advocacy groups and LGBTQ+ organizations on a variety of issues and product enhancements.
Meta has 60 days in which to respond to the board’s recommendation.
Advocates may be open to the idea of an easier way for nipples to get online. However, there are still questions about Meta’s automated content-moderation systems and their ability to enforce a new policy regarding nipples. While a couple may be fundraising for top surgery, it is different from someone seeking sex online. However, the AI of the company didn’t recognize the difference in the first post. How will these systems distinguish between topless posts and porn?
According to Emily Bell, director at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism (the Guardian), “Context is everything” and that algorithms can be terrible at understanding context, Bell said. “The intriguing question will be how Meta can create new rules while not opening up porn. That is why these rules exist.” It should be possible, but I am skeptical if it is automated content moderation.” (Bell was previously a non-executive director at the Scott Trust.
Facebook and Instagram users have the option to flag posts that they feel violate company policies. This was the case for the photo that led to the board’s decision. Bell stated, “It doesn’t take a genius for to figure out that certain areas of culture wars are where content moderation is weaponized.” “A post on top surgery shouldn’t have been flagged, but it was. This could have been an anti-trans bad actor.
Jillian York, activist and director of international freedom-of-expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said that it was difficult for companies using AI to make the right decisions in all situations. She said that it was difficult for automated technology to decide who is a “topless adult” and who is a “topless child”. AI may be capable of determining between a 9-year old and a 26 year-old, but how about a 17 and 18-year old?
Sarah Murnen is the Samuel B Cummings I professor of psychology at Kenyon College. She said that the Free the Nipple movement once focused on white, cisgender females. But, this was changing. She said that when we discussed this issue as one about cis women it seemed less relevant than now with trans people wanting openly to their bodies while anti-trans sentiments are at an all time high.
Meta was advised to relax the strict, binary manner it regulates online bodies. Many are quick to question AI’s ability to protect all users. Bell stated, “That’s what the big lesson is: When you create automated systems you’re going have consequences for those who are more marginalized or the minority in society.” These are the people who are punished by the use of an algorithm.
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