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Regional publisher's ad censored by Facebook

Facebook has censored a regional newspaper publisher which attempted to share news of a risqué archaeological find on social media.

Cumbria-based CN Group, which publishes titles including the daily News & Star, in Carlisle, and Barrow’s North West Evening Mail, had a photograph of a Roman fertility god banned from Facebook as it was deemed to breach the website’s advertising guidelines.

The photo accompanied a report on the find at Papcastle, near Cockermouth, which included a two foot high statue of a Genius Loci, a fertility god thought to be the guardian of the area.

However the image, shown below, was deemed too blue for Facebook bosses, who refused to publish an advertisement directing archaeology enthusiasts to the article on the group’s in-Cumbria website.

Roman

In an email to CN Group, Facebook said: “Your ad content violates Facebook Ad Guidelines.

“Ads are not allowed to promote the sale or use of adult products or services, including toys, videos, publications, live shows or sexual enhancement products.”

The response left Nick Turner, online editor for in-Cumbria, bemused.

He said: ““We wanted to use a Facebook advert directed to people interested in archaeology about this amazing find, but it seems that the ‘Rude Man of Papcastle’ as we’ve dubbed him in our office is a bit too rude for those shrinking violets of Facebook.

“It’s a good job we didn’t mention the statue was found near Cockermouth or we could really have sent them into a flap.”