Facebook is quite strict with its Community Standards and it removes posts that violate them. Repeat offenders even get their accounts banned. It’s a balancing act for the company as it reiterates its commitment to being an open platform that places utmost importance on freedom of speech. Facebook has taken a lot of flak recently for removing posts considered to be against Community Standards even though they were newsworthy which is why it has now made some changes to allow more NSFW news on the network.
Facebook points out that it’s a complex challenge to observe global standards for its one billion-plus community. “Whether an image is newsworthy or historically significant is highly subjective. Images of nudity or violence that are acceptable in one part of the world may be offensive — or even illegal — in another,” it added.
The company has said that in the coming weeks it’s going to allow more items that people find significant, newsworthy or important to the public interest even if they otherwise violate its standards. Facebook has said that it’s going to work with its community and partners to explore precisely how it’s going to do this.
Facebook’s intention is to allow more images and stores that don’t pose safety risks or showing graphic images to minors or other users who just don’t want to see them. The social network reiterates that its goal remains to channel its community’s values and ensure that its policies reflect its community’s interests.