A breast cancer survivor posted a picture of her reconstructed breasts on Facebook, only to learn that her entire site would be blocked.
The social network disabled Melissa Tullett's account after she published a topless photo of herself following a double mastectomy. The site claimed Tullett had broken the Web sites rules by posting images that contained nudity.
Tullett claimed she did not know she was doing anything wrong and had shared the photos to encourage others who were suffering from breast cancer. She said Facebook notified her that it was deleting the photo, but was surprised when her entire page was shut down.
Her account has since been reactivated, but she is not allowed to repost the photograph.
A similar incident occurred in May 2009, when photos of Sharon Adams, post-mastectomy, were removed. The site later apologized after a Facebook group in support of Adams amassed more than 1,000 members.
Facebook again took down images that survivor Anna Antell posted last November, which depicted her covering one breast while showing the scar tissue of the one that had been removed. The site later changed its mind, allowing her to repost the photos.
Antell said she was trying to raise awareness to show what breast cancer patients can expect after surgery.
Facebook said it enforces certain guidelines to ensure the site remains a safe place for all users, including children over the age of 13. The site uses software to detect images that may be considered offensive.
