Cancer survivor’s mastectomy pics banned for too ‘pornographic’

Mother-of-two Joanne Jackson, 40, had a photo session to commemorate winning her battle with the killer disease after having a mastectomy – and posted them on the social networking site.

But Facebook removed some of the images, which revealed her operation scar, for being offensive.

Joanne has been warned that further ‘abusive’ breaches will result in her account being shut down.

Angry Joanne, a Slimming World consultant of Thornhill, Dewsbury, West Yorks., said: ‘There is nothing pornographic or explicit about these pictures. That was not the idea at all.

‘I took breast cancer and the mastectomy in my stride and decided it wasn’t going to stop me living my life. It wasn’t going to define who I was, and it didn’t make me any less attractive as a woman.

‘My attitude was to just get on with it. I knew I could kick cancer’s ass and I did.’

Former council youth worker Joanne was approached by a friend, whose husband Paul Hodgson was a professional photographer, and she jumped at the chance to pose for pictures.

She said: ‘I am not one who is shy but these pictures weren’t as much about me as about other women who had maybe just been diagnosed with breast cancer.

‘It doesn’t have to be a death sentence and there is life after a mastectomy.

‘The images aren’t fluffy, they are real and I am very proud of them.’

Thanks to her weight loss, Joanne’s bust reduced from a size 40HH to 30C. In May last year she discovered she had a lump in her breast.

Tests revealed she had two types of cancer in her left breast.

Her breast care nurse Debbie Weevel said: ‘If Joanne hadn’t lost the weight that she did, the lump wouldn’t have been spotted until much later and it could have been too late.’

Joanne, who is married to self-employed cobbler Andrew and has two sons Connah, 19, and Evan, five, posted the images that celebrated her survival in her own Facebook album and on pages for various cancer organisations.

She has no idea who reported them but the warning came out of the blue.

The message said: ‘Content you shared on Facebook has been removed because it violated Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities.

‘Shares that contain nudity, pornography and graphic sexual content are not permitted on Facebook.

‘This serves as a warning. Additional violations may result in the termination of your account.’

The message added that Joanne should ‘refrain from posting abusive material in the future.’

Joanne’s Facebook friends have also taken up the fight and the images have been re-posted as far afield as Australia, the USA, Canada and Spain.

‘It’s censorship, pure and simple,’ said Joanne, who is now having breast reconstruction. ‘And I’m not backing down so Facebook can do their worst.’

Photographer Mr Hodgson, of Huddersfield-based Box of Frogs, said the pictures were ‘inspirational, not salacious or erotic’ and added: ‘This is about showing that a cancer diagnosis does not mean your life has ended.

‘These pictures show that you can beat cancer and still be you.’

A Facebook spokesman confirmed that ‘several’ images had been removed because they breached terms and conditions.

‘He said Facebook welcomed mastectomy pictures but said that some images may breach regulations.

Last week Facebook came under fire for deleting a mother’s photos of her baby who died hours after being born with a rare birth defect.

Heather Walker’s baby Grayson had anencephaly, a condition that meant his skull did not form fully over his brain.

Heather, from Memphis, Tennessee, posted several photos of Grayson on Facebook after his death, one which showed the baby without a hat.

It was this photo that was deemed ‘graphic content’ by Facebook and deleted.

An appeal to Facebook led to the mother’s account being reactivated and the picture of her baby which was deemed ‘graphic’ allowed to remain.

‘We strive to fit the needs of a diverse community while respecting everyone’s interest in sharing content that is important to them.

‘It is important to note that any photos that are removed – whether inappropriately or in accordance with our policies – are only done so after being brought to our attention by other Facebook users who report them as violations, and when such reports are subsequently reviewed by Facebook.’

According to Facebook’s community standards page, there are nine types of content that may be deemed offensive and removed: Violence and Threats, Self-Harm, Bullying and Harassment, Hate Speech, Graphic Violence, Nudity and Pornography, Identity and Privacy, Intellectual Property and Phishing and Spam.