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Facebook criticised by NSPCC over sobbing baby video clip Facebook criticised by NSPCC over sobbing baby video clip
(about 3 hours later)
A leading child protection charity has demanded Facebook and other social networks be held to account following a clash over a "disturbing" video.A leading child protection charity has demanded Facebook and other social networks be held to account following a clash over a "disturbing" video.
Facebook has refused to remove a clip from its site that the NSPCC said showed a "terrified, sobbing baby" being repeatedly dunked into a bucket of water. The NSPCC says the video shows a "terrified, sobbing baby" being dunked repeatedly in a bucket of water and wants the UK government to intervene.
Facebook does not believe the video breaches its rules. It is not clear when or where the video was made or what the context is.
The charity has written to the UK government asking it to intervene. Facebook says it does not believe the video breaches its rules and says it will not ban all uses of the footage.
"While the welfare of this child is naturally paramount we would also urge you to look at all available options which will ensure UK citizens, including millions of children, are no longer exposed to this kind of dreadful and disturbing content," the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children's chief executive Peter Wanless wrote. 'Serious damage'
"The NSPCC believes we have now reached the long overdue point where it is time for social networking sites to be held to account for the content on their sites and pay more attention to their safeguarding duties to protect children and young people, whether they are viewing the content or appearing in it." The video - running to nearly two minutes in length - shows the baby being twisted by her arms and held upside down from her legs as she is picked up and partly submerged in the water dozens of times.
He sent the letter to culture minister Ed Vaizey and internet safety minister Joanna Shields. She cries at first but stops after the carer changes the way she is holding the infant. A still from the video is shown further down this story.
A spokeswoman for the government confirmed the letter had been received and would be responded to in due course. Claire Lilley, who leads Child Safety Online for the NSPCC, told the Today programme the baby was being flung about in a manner which could cause "serious damage" to its limbs.
Following some reports which claim the video is an example of "baby yoga", Ms Lilley said: "What is one person's baby yoga in one person's context is child abuse in another person's context."
She added the film was "one example of content which is freely available to see".
The charity wants the government to create a new organisation "armed with the legal powers to ensure internet companies are transparent and accountable".
Its letter urges culture minister Ed Vaizey and internet safety minister Joanna Shields to look at "all available options" to make sure people in the UK are "no longer exposed to this kind of dreadful and disturbing content".
Facebook acknowledged that the video was "upsetting and disturbing", but said its users should still be able to watch it.Facebook acknowledged that the video was "upsetting and disturbing", but said its users should still be able to watch it.
"In cases like these, we face a difficult choice: balancing people's desire to raise awareness of behaviour like this against the disturbing nature of the video," said a spokeswoman for the firm. It said it was removing the video in cases where it received reports that the behaviour in it was being encouraged or supported.
"In this case, we are removing any reported instances of the video from Facebook that are shared supporting or encouraging this behaviour. It added it was allowing the video to be used when people were raising awareness or condemning the actions within it. However, in those cases it would mark the video as disturbing, which means they have a warning screen and are accessible only to people over the age of 18.
"In cases where people are raising awareness or condemning the practice, we are marking reported videos as disturbing, which means they have a warning screen and are accessible only to people over the age of 18." Facebook's UK policy director Simon Milner told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that by drawing attention to a distressing situation, the website has "seen from experience that it can and does lead to the rescue of the child".
Warning sign He added: "We've been in contact with the authorities...[and] hope they'll be able to track down this child."
The video - running to nearly two minutes in length - shows the baby being twisted by her arms and held upside down from her legs as she is picked up and partly submerged in the water dozens of time. She cries at first but stops after the carer changes the way she is holding the infant. Analysis
The NSPCC describes the act as "callous" and "dreadful". By Leo Kelion
The carer's face is out of frame and she appears to be speaking in an Asian language but the tone of her voice suggests that this is someone playing with the child rather than an angry adult setting out to punish the infant, however misguided her actions may be.
Some, but not all, of the comments below the version of the video that I saw were in Indonesian. However, the clip has since become "unavailable" - perhaps because the woman who posted it has deleted it.
The quality of the video is low definition - it is hard to make out any of the baby's features - which could suggest it was filmed some time ago or perhaps on a budget-priced phone.
Facebook has acknowledged that more than one copy of the video has been shared on its site, and that it only adds warning messages after being alerted to an instance by its users. It is therefore unknown at this stage how many times the clip has been watched.
Community guidelines
Although the social network now shows a warning message - known as an interstitial - at the start of the video, it was not added when the clip was initially reviewed, and the BBC had asked why one was not present.Although the social network now shows a warning message - known as an interstitial - at the start of the video, it was not added when the clip was initially reviewed, and the BBC had asked why one was not present.
Facebook first introduced interstitials at the end of last year, after coming under pressure to do so by one of its own safety advisers.Facebook first introduced interstitials at the end of last year, after coming under pressure to do so by one of its own safety advisers.
The Family Online Safety Institute (Fosi), had raised concerns that disturbing videos were spreading via the site and auto-playing in users' feeds without warning.The Family Online Safety Institute (Fosi), had raised concerns that disturbing videos were spreading via the site and auto-playing in users' feeds without warning.
Fosi is still pressing for Facebook to let users add interstitials themselves.Fosi is still pressing for Facebook to let users add interstitials themselves.
Raising awareness
Prime Minister David Cameron previously criticised the social network after it refused to remove another clip, which showed a woman being decapitated.Prime Minister David Cameron previously criticised the social network after it refused to remove another clip, which showed a woman being decapitated.
"It's irresponsible of Facebook to post beheading videos, especially without a warning. They must explain their actions to worried parents," he tweeted in 2013.
The US-based site, which permits anyone aged 13 and above to be a member, later issued new community guidelines explaining that it wanted people to be able to raise awareness of controversial topics.The US-based site, which permits anyone aged 13 and above to be a member, later issued new community guidelines explaining that it wanted people to be able to raise awareness of controversial topics.
"Sometimes, those experiences and issues involve violence and graphic images of public interest or concern, such as human rights abuses or acts of terrorism," it stated. A spokeswoman for the government confirmed it had received the NSPCC's letter and said it would be responded to in due course.
However, the NSPCC maintains that Facebook is not doing enough to protect children and said it was not the only online service at fault.
The charity wants the government to create a new organisation "armed with the legal powers to ensure internet companies are transparent and accountable".
"Over the last two years, under the leadership of the prime minister, the government partnership with industry has taken major strides in tackling child sexual abuse images on the internet.
"Google, Microsoft and other companies have prioritised this issue," Mr Wanless wrote.
"It is now time for the light to be shone on the responsibilities of social media companies, an area where progress has been extremely slow.
"As you know, the government convened a meeting of the social media companies to look at these issues in February 2014 but there has been no substantial progress since then.
"We have just re-elected a new government and now is the time for a renewed mandate and focus."