Facebook Removes 'Rape Joke' Pages

Women's groups weren't laughing
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 9, 2011 2:46 AM CST
Facebook Removes 'Rape Joke' Pages
Make sure to tag it 'humorous' or 'satrie,' urges Facebook.   (?storem)

Following months of pressure from women's rights group, Facebook has finally removed a series of "rape joke" pages. "There is no place on Facebook for content that is hateful, threatening, or incites violence," said the company after the pages were pulled. But some of the pages ran for years, and some continue to run, particularly those that have complied with Facebook's request to add tags saying "humorous" or "satire." Opinion that's "outrageous or offensive to some do not by themselves violate our policies," said Facebook.

Just months ago Facebook refused to crack down on the pages, saying: "Just as telling a rude joke won't get you thrown out of your local pub, it won't get you thrown off Facebook." The pages tended to joke about situations in which women were fearful or threatened by a man, notes the BBC. "You know she's playing hard to get when you're chasing her down an alleyway," said one of the "jokes." (More Facebook stories.)

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