Facebook’s Nipple Paradox: The Double Standard That Won’t Die

While Facebook or Meta in general still has a nipple problem, the world—particularly women and the fashion industry—seems to be moving on. Breasts, once the last frontier of prudish censorship, are now bared with an increasing sense of ease and identity. But not on Facebook. The company’s policy doesn’t just prohibit "pornographic" or "sexually explicit" images; it specifically bans "female (and only female) nipples," drawing a hard line in the sand between what is acceptable and what is apparently too dangerous for the internet to handle.

This has led to absurd consequences. Facebook has, in its puritanical fervor, deleted news articles on mammograms, photos of women actively breastfeeding, images of mastectomy scars, indigenous women, and even awareness campaigns. Iconic photographs—like the haunting Vietnam War image—have fallen victim to Facebook’s overzealous censors, all under the argument that "this content might promote sexual violence or exploitation." Meanwhile, the male nipple remains blissfully unbothered, floating across the platform without consequence.

What precisely remains offensive about a woman’s nipple, however, is a mystery. Facebook has been repeatedly criticized for reinforcing a sexual double standard. While the platform will remove a picture of female breasts in record time, posts glorifying misogyny, violence against women, or xenophobic content often seem to linger within the bounds of "community standards."

This doesn’t exactly scream "safe and welcoming for everyone." In fact, it raises the question: is Facebook more committed to upholding the nipple ban than it is to combating hate speech?

Something to think about.