By Simon Sansome
In an astonishing recorded call from Facebook, listen below.
Ability Access is the UK’s largest disability page with over 12,000 followers and often goes viral. This week is no exception, with reaching an audience of over 5 million people and 1.5 million interactions.
Earlier this week, Ability Access, was blocked from inviting people to like the page after getting over 3000 new likes.
Scheduling a call with Facebook Marketing Team to resolve this issue, we asked why we had been blocked and their reply is shocking and possibly discriminatory.
In a recorded conversation the operator who is a marketing expert at Facebook said: “You will have to understand that some people see disability as disturbing, you will have to think about it like that”.
The operator then went on to say “I have never come across a page that promotes disability”.
Simon – “So, to promote my page, I need to go through customer service again, because I have been banned from promoting my page on disability”.
Operator “Yes, yes”.
Ability Access was set up in 2016 to get people talking about disability in the UK. It is a well-known platform in the UK in the disabled community and used by multiple organisation to promote disability charities, community events and is seen as a social hub in the disabled community.
As a disabled journalist I could not believe what was happening, when I say in the conversation, I had to leave the room I reached for my zoom (a recording device used by journalists) and was waiting for it to load up.
What happed in this conversation was just shocking and quite sad, for the disabled community as millions of people with disabilities use Facebook as their main communication tool and to have an employee to say “You will have to understand that some people see disability as disturbing, you will have to think about it like that” and to find out we have been blocked from inviting people to the page takes away a person’s freedom of speech.
Ability Access will be contacting Facebook for a comment on this story and will update readers on the reply.
Update
A Facebook spokesperson have said: “We apologies profusely to Simon Sansome and the Ability Access community that they had this experience, and wanted to take the time to help explain why this happened. What Mr. Sansome was told is incorrect and should not have been said. The advert in question was not rejected for featuring disturbing content. It was, however, rejected for depicting adult content as there is a partially covered topless female in the video. If Mr. Sansome is able to remove this particular image from the video, the advert would be approved and allowed to run.
“We are investigating what happened here and will provide additional training to the team that spoke with Mr. Sansome. This community, like many other Groups and Pages for disability in the UK, is doing great work and we’re proud that they are using Facebook to reach people.” - Facebook spokesperson.
The picture in question is the image of Vicky Balch, who was the victim of the Alton Towers accident in 2015, she lost her leg.
For me this is an empowering photo and published on Ability Access on the 1stFeb 2017. The photo shoot was for Vicky to build herself confidence and was published in many UK newspapers and posted over social media. Facebook have advised that if I take this image down, they will allow me to invite people to the page.
I would like to inform Facebook; I have no intention of removing this image as it is a picture of a wonderful brave woman showing off her disability.
So myself and millions like me aren’t welcome at Facebook. Ok then maybe its time we all closed our accounts and see how quickly things change when advertisers shun FB as a platform to promote their goods.
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It seems like an invitation for those of us with disabilities to FLOOD Facebook #ShowUpAndShine
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This is disgusting. They can’t blame the image. I follow lots of photography pages and there is still an antiquated preoccupation with naked women on these pages. They have no problem promoting this “art”
Well done for defending disability and art related to it.
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That’s appalling.very narrow minded.the world is made up of all types of people, disabled people too.and has an abled body person,but hearing impaired.I find it absolutely humbling for me.to see people who over come there own adversities. The human spirit is so admirable.anyone could end up disabled at any time.an accident or illness. More cover of disabled on Facebook or tv.highlights the struggles we all have to get what is right and should be the norm.
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That’s discrimination and you should Sue them
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Disgusting of Facebook don’t we get enough has it is
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Disgusting. ‘Facebook’ is not goof for disability more like 😡
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im just speechless. Fb you disgust me by alienating disabled people( yes they are people too!!!)
You seriously need to rethink your inadequate decision on this as it is an immoral & discriminatory & is extreemly distressing to many thousands of disabled folk who would otherwise have little if not any contact with the outside world. Evem “You” could become disabled in the blink of an eye, just think on that !!!
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Having reported many pornographic pictures to Facebook in the past, I can tell you that this picture does not violate their Community Standards. So their response is equally appalling!
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Facebook absolutely allows disgusting photos of people doing disgusting things. This photo is tasteful and has an art like quality. It simple discrimination because someone somewhere is uncomfortable seeing a beautiful woman who is missing part of her leg. Too bad for them. Facebook can cover the video with a warning the some may find it upsetting, and let the video stand for those of us who are not so delicate. Keep fighting for the rights of people with disabilities! We stand with you.
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Facebook won’t allow this photo but has no problems letting people post pictures of babies coming out of a vagina (up close and disgusting) I understand some might see it as a joyous occasion but some don’t. I don’t want to see it or my kids seeing it. They don’t block them but this picture goes against standards?? This picture is mild. Facebook you suck!
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I run a page in FB for kids with Special Needs and has over 270k followers. We used to get thousands of likes and lots of commebts and shares and suddenly around 3wks ago our post reach has went from thousands to 10 or 20 or maybe 35 reach if we’re lucky!!!
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Absolutely speechless…it’s 2019 not 1819! This sort of behaviour by platforms like FB should be challenged - socially and legally! The image by the way shows no more flesh than someone n an underwear commercial. Get real FB and grow up!!!
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https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2019/03/28/facebook-charged-disability-discrimination/26293/
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Any tips on leaving Facebook?
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I’m the creator of CAW360 Network, a health network featuring hosts/shows on all mental, physical, holistic..anything dealing with we will eventually cover.
Since we started covering chronic pain patients and the issues with pain medications, my personal fb account and CAW fb group has been on different levels of Facebook. Ie I created time lapse videos of sunrises off my back deck with a poem called “just like you” focusing on what it’s like growing up with rare, painful and incurable diseases.
It was to give hope and understanding that you aren’t alone when dealing with disabilities. Here is a link to the poem https://youtu.be/M8q9Zvx8zz0. Yet when I tried to post it to fb support groups I would get a message stating I’m temporarily blocked from posting because the content was spam or inappropriate. When did Facebook take over the responsibilities of moderators and admins of these private support groups? When did we okay fb to censor us when trying to support one another that is forced to live with such illnesses?
This is happening in many health communities across the board.
Thank you for sharing this blog. I hope Facebook will take a hard look at their behavior and actions of their workers. Freedom of speech!
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I am in no way find any problems with this picture! How brave of her to take it and show the loss of her leg!
Shame on Facebook! It’s OK for models or actors or singers to wear clothing that basically shows it all but this lady Is seen as something too provocative?!
It is very upsetting to hear and read that anybody had such an issue! Thank you for sharing the info.
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Most people would be too embarased to be photographed naked, let alone with such a disability, even glamour models get photoshopped to remove blemishes, imperfections, cellulite, birth marks etc.
As there is nothing ‘on show’, the only thing offensive, off putting and disgusting in all of this is Facebook’s attitude and response.
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They forget that #painpatientsvote as well.
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They forget a lot, like the fact that the disabled, just by being disabled and having time on their hands, are perhaps some of the largest Facebook users. Oh, and we also vote. #showupandshine #painpatientsvote #disabilitymatters
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