Yesterday, because of World AIDS Day, Checkpoint Zurich, a gay health center decided to set up an online advertising campaign to highlight its establishment. Who says online advertising, say be Google, be Facebook, to hope to have a minimum of benefits. The problem is that Mark Zuckerberg’s company has twice rejected Checkpoint’s proposal to promote a video on the social network.
Facebook justified itself by saying that this video contains “sexual or insinuating images, nudity and people in insinuating poses or sexually provocative acts”. Checkpoint Zurich is frequently confronted with cases like this. Very often the ads of the organization are not accepted by Facebook, either on the social network of the same name, or on Instagram. Each time, the reasons are the same: “the advertisements show sexual images or provocative actions”.
This weekend, two new advertising campaigns have just been rejected. The first simply spoke of the importance of World AIDS Day, and the second highlighted the benefits of the treatments offered at Checkpoint Zurich for people living with HIV.
Twice, Facebook has opposed the publication of these videos, the real terms of these refusals are as follows: “adult content: advertisements should not use words or images of a sexual or offensive nature. Avoid nudity, people in insinuating poses or sexually provocative acts. “
These videos feature several shots of drag queens, transgender people, gay wedding cakes, as well as an astronaut wielding a rainbow flag on the moon, or more serious topics like a gay couple at home. doctor, an HIV test and especially two men who kiss each other with pride. It is surely this last plan which displeased to Facebook.
Bastian Baumann, Head of Checkpoint Zurich, commented: “It has become extremely difficult on Facebook and Instagram to buy advertising for our cause because two men kissing each other or a simple job of preven- HIV and other STIs are always too sensitive for social media platforms, the many fake news, violent videos or hate calls are circumnavigating Facebook without being disturbed, without seeming to bother them. “
For the moment, Facebook has not communicated on this subject, it is very likely that a press release will be published in the next hours.
