At first, Facebook defended its platform as a network promoting free speech. When a user posted a graphic video of a beheading in May, Facebook let it stay. The company further justified its decision by claiming the video ultimately opposed execution by decapitation and that similarly graphic videos would be allowed as long as they "condemned" such acts rather than "celebrate them," according to The Huffington Post.
Amid policy changes geared towards restricting violent and graphic posts and public outcry, Facebook changed its mind on Tuesday and removed the video, PCWorld reported.
"Based on these enhanced standards, we have re-examined recent reports of graphic content and have concluded that this content improperly and irresponsibly glorifies violence," a Facebook spokesman said. "For this reason, we have removed it."
Facebook has gradually built a set of policies governing appropriate posting behavior, including guidelines dealing with hate speech, PCWorld reported. Some recent policies include assessing whether a post was shared with an age-appropriate audience or whether a video contained an "adult content" warning.
"When we review content that is reported to us, we will take a more holistic look at the context surrounding a violent image or video," Facebook said in a statement. "Second, we will consider whether the person posting the content is sharing it responsibly, such as accompanying the video or image with a warning and sharing it with an age-appropriate audience."
According to PCWorld, in a growing movement to conduct more research, Facebook seeks to better understand why users share what they do. For example, Facebook wants to know if the beheading video was posted to raise awareness, incite a reaction, for both, or for other reasons.
"Going forward, we ask that people who share graphic content for the purpose of condemning it do so in a responsible manner, carefully selecting their audience and warning them about the nature of the content so they can make an informed choice about it," a spokesman said.
