Facebook vs. Nursing Moms: Bay Area Breastfeeders Protest Deleted Photos

By Erin Sherbert Mon., Feb. 6 2012 at 10:45 AM

Grow up, Facebook!

You don't want to piss-off nursing mothers, who are already sleep-deprived. But Facebook is braving a fight with breastfeeding women who are joining a worldwide protest this morning, calling on the Bay Area company to stop deleting their nursing photos on Facebook. As we write, Bay Area mothers are congregating outside the company's headquarters in Menlo Park for a massive nurse-in. (We can't wait to see those photos on Facebook!)

Women are sick and tired of Facebook suspending accounts and removing posted photos of mothers nursing their infants, said Emma Kwasnica, a Canadian mom who traveled to California for the breastfeeding protest.

After her account was -- again -- suspended over her nursing photos, Kwasnica spoke with Facebook staff who told her they had no plans to stop the deletions of these baby-nursing photos. To make matters worse, Facebook removed some 250,000 supporters from the "Hey Facebook! Breastfeeding is Not Obscene" official petition group, which has been active since 2007, she said.

"It is obvious to me now that Facebook really has lost control of their network, especially when their written policy clearly states they support the sharing of breastfeeding images, yet they say they cannot control the actions of their employees who keep removing breastfeeding images and who block accounts of the users who post them - usually 'in error.'

"This is exasperating to me," Kwasnica says.

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Tags:

breastfeeding, Faecbook, Menlo Park, nurse-in, nursing mothers

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hurrdurrr

totally ok with Facebook doing this. why is important to share these photos anyways?

Fleurdelissf

Facebook is big brother more and more these days.

Kulei70

The internet is big brother, consumer reports big brother. Everytime you use a savings card, credit card a new HD tv. It's not censorship. This is no where near Korea. Facebook is not a public search engine. The company itself seemingly deems this inappropriate. What about 1985, or 84 & the wave. Ettiquette.

Kulei70

I just wanna put pictures of my boob & my kid if I want to! I do what I want. F- you public & the majority of the community. Look at my boobs. This is my child!

Wth?

another__mom

I happened to stumble upon this and at this very moment my 13 month old is eating... off of my BOOBS! Im 35 and I still have yet to find out what the dam difference is between the soft porn commercials (such as godaddy) and breastfeeding. I wish one, just one of these a__holes to stand up to other men and tell them to stop advertising on tv, the internet, billboards, and every other piece of advertisement that thinks that that is the only that they will sell their stuff! Grow some balls guys, this ain't got nothing to do with with your dam fantasy of screwing somebody thats exposing every part of her body. We are feeding babies, which happens to be the healthiest thing for babies, not some perverted 18 year old who old men cant get enough of.

Kulei70

Why do people need to post that. Facebook has an image & they are saying this isn't the message we want to send. There are other public forms that will gladly accept mother's breast & child. I will re-read your statement. It's kind of like someone taking a shit in your garage. You can clean it but that's not the appropriate place for it because it's your garage.

Kulei70

I don't know each individual's intent. I want to say I know a lot of people that have a hard time posting pictures of their kids to begin with. I think just because some of these individuals are "vessels of life", why don't you do that on non public sites. Not everyone wants to see your boob. Especially your kid when they might be able to search that in 15 years. There are more worthy causes. Just because it's not innappropriate to one individual doesn't mean it is not to another. Borderline inappropriate. Make sure you are fighting for a worthy cause. I don't have any kids but I'm probably not going to make an idiot out of my kid on Facebook. That's enough of this America BS. Your boob, kids mouth, public owned site, come on. How bout I go in to your house and just leave garbage & refuse to use a trash bag. Ridiculous.