FACEBOOK CENSORS SSOA 3 TIMES

I TRIED A 3RD TIME TO POST INDIGENOUS MATERIAL ON FACEBOOK AND WAS BLOCKED.

THIS MORNING I TWICE ATTEMPTED TO POST AN ARTICLE ON FACEBOOK ABOUT FB HAVING CENSORED AN HISTORIC PHOTO OF 'BLACKBIRDING' WHICH SHOWED INDIGENOUS MEN IN CHAINS. THE PHOTO WAS RECENTLY PUBLISHED IN 'THE GUARDIAN'. FACEBOOK REJECTED MY POST. SO I TRIED A 3RD TIME, USING JUST TEXT, WITHOUT THE PHOTO, BUT FACEBOOK EVEN REJECTED THE TEXT ON ITS OWN. THIS IS WHAT I'D CALL EXTREME CENSORSHIP!

(NOTICE OF THE ORIGINAL CENSORSHIP CAME FROM AN EARLIER POST FROM CHARLES DODGSON https://www.facebook.com/charles.dodgson/posts/10164042668315232?notif_id=1592264673503980&notif_t=notify_me)

BELOW IS WHAT I FINALLY TRIED TO POST, WITHOUT A PHOTO, AND EVEN THAT WAS REJECTED.

'I've tried twice to post an historical photo published recently in 'The Guardian' showing indigenous men in chains and it has not been posted by Facebook. So now I'm trying without the photo. The excuse that the photo shows nudity is false. It does not. The men's genitals are covered - and in any case it is no justification for banning such an accurate depiction of how indigenous people were treated. I ask Facebook here to stop censoring the photo and allow Sydney School of Arts & Humanities to use the photo to accompany this post. To restore it as it must be held by Facebook, since I attempted to post it Twice and it was blocked. This is the headline for the post.

Facebook blocks and bans users for sharing Guardian article showing Aboriginal men in chains

Social media site incorrectly removed historical photo on grounds of nudity, then for three days blocked and even banned users who posted link to article

[HISTORICAL PHOTO MISSING FROM THIS SPACE]

Indigenous prisoners in chains

The image of Aboriginal prisoners in chains in Western Australia that was incorrectly tagged as nudity by Facebook. It blocked a user who posted it, then blocked users from sharing the Guardian article that reported the user’s experience.

Photograph: State Library of Western Australia.'

HAPPY FOR YOU TO COPY THE PHOTO AND TRY TO POST IT ON FACEBOOK. WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL. MY ESTIMATE IS NONE - BUT WOULD BE EVEN HAPPIER IF YOU'RE ABLE TO PUBLISH THE PHOTO.

Dr Christine Williams

SSOA writers' blogs are made possible through the support of City of Sydney grant assistance.