The latest censorship incident involves the "Venus of Willendorf", a 30,000 year old statue discovered near Vienna in 1908 that currently resides in the Naturhistorisches Museum in the Austrian capital, as explained here.
As is also explained in the article, this isn't the first time that there's been controversy over Facebook censorship. Famous 19th century French artist Gustave Courbet's 1866 painting " L’Origine du Monde" was included in a Facebook post that resulted in the closing of an account, although it hangs today in the Musee D'Orsay in Paris. Artnet News weighs in on the matter here.
L'Origine du Monde
The Facebook policy brings up some interesting questions. If they can rightfully refuse to carry what they consider pornographic, who else can do the same? Facebook is in the business of accommodating the public, just like people that bake wedding cakes. Do they have the right to censor not only images but also verbiage? Who is the judge of pornography? While there have been US Supreme Court decisions in this regard, who decides what is or is not pornographic in an individual case? How is it that ghastly images of death and destruction, murder, abortion, etc. are standard fare in all kinds of media, including Facebook, but a nude female, certainly familiar to almost everyone and a threat to no one, is forbidden? If Facebook, in its role of accommodating the public, can refuse certain images or ideas, what of other businesses? Can the power company disconnect the electricity of art galleries festooned with nudes?
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