Boobies Banned On Facebook: Birdwatching Ad For Christmas Island's Nature Week Pulled

Boobies Banned On Facebook: A Blow For Christmas Island's Bird & Nature Week
|

An advert featuring boobies has been banned by Facebook.

No surprise there. But what if we told you the boobies in question are of the seabird variety?

Yes, the Facebook police have cracked down on the fluffy chicks of Christmas Island, in particular on an ad inviting eco-tourists to its Bird 'n' Nature Week.

Scroll down for more gratuitous pictures of boobies

Open Image Modal

Some gorgeous boobies at Christmas Island National Park

Linda Cash, of the island's Tourism Association uploaded snaps of the bird with the caption: "Some gorgeous shots here of some juvenile boobies."

The ad was swiftly removed, and when Cash enquired as to why, she was informed the use of the word "boobies" had triggered an automatic ban, The Australian writes.

By way of explanation, the social media giant's guidelines revealed: "The word choice in the body or title of your ad violates our ad guidelines. We do not allow the use of profane, vulgar or threatening language."

Open Image Modal

Cash told Travel Daily News the move was a blow to the island, where many residents have turned to eco-tourism to secure their future livelihoods.

She explained: "We have a limited marketing budget so Facebook campaigns offer us a great opportunity to share the wonderful birdlife on our island.

"We presumed our original advert was blocked automatically so we appealed to Facebook directly, who reaffirmed the campaign was banned due to the sexual language - particularly the use of the word 'boobies".

HuffPost UK has sought comment from Facebook.

It's not the first time Facebook has got itself all in a lather over this sort of thing. Last year it apologised and reinstated a picture it had banned, after moderators apparently confused a woman's elbows with her nipples.

Boobies
Galapagos wildlife stock(01 of04)
Open Image Modal
A blue Footed Booby bird performs his mating dance on the North Seymour Island, on the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. (credit:PA)
A blue-footed booby stands on a rock on(02 of04)
Open Image Modal
A blue-footed booby stands on a rock on Seymour Island in the Galapagos Archipelago, 1000 km off the coast of Ecuador, on March 17, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Rodrigo BUENDIA (Photo credit should read RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Picture taken 23 June 2006 of a blue-foo(03 of04)
Open Image Modal
Isla San Cristobal, ECUADOR: Picture taken 23 June 2006 of a blue-footed booby next to a crab in San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos Archipelago, Ecuador. AFP PHOTO/Rodrigo BUENDIA (Photo credit should read RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Picture taken 23 May 2006 of a blue-foot(04 of04)
Open Image Modal
Isla San Cristobal, ECUADOR: Picture taken 23 May 2006 of a blue-footed booby in Las Tijeretas Bay of San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos Archipelago, Ecuador. AFP PHOTO/Rodrigo BUENDIA (Photo credit should read RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)