Justice

The Internet Is Divided Over This 'Dead' Photo Shoot

June 9th 2016

Photo shoots featuring small children are are a staple of most Facebook walls.

But photo shoots featuring small children covered in fake blood and gore in the style of "The Walking Dead" are far less common — and much more controversial.

New Jersey mom and professional photographer Alana Hubbard outraged several Facebook users with fictionalized photos of children with guns...

...children beating each other...

...and dead children in a pile.

Not everyone was upset. Some were in favor of the shoot. But those that weren't made their opinions known:

Mother Hubbard Photography/Facebook - facebook.com

Mother Hubbard Photography/Facebook - facebook.com

Mother Hubbard Photography/Facebook - facebook.com

Mother Hubbard Photography/Facebook - facebook.com

Mother Hubbard Photography/Facebook

The photos were briefly removed from Facebook.

Facebook notified Hubbard that her photos were inappropriate and violated the company's policy, and that she would be blocked from using her page for 72 hours, according to Today. When the photos were permitted back on the site, they had to be accompanied by a disclaimer.

walking dead kids photo shootMother Hubbard Photography/Facebook - facebook.com

Here's what Facebook has to say about "violence and graphic content":

"Facebook has long been a place where people share their experiences and raise awareness about important issues. Sometimes, those experiences and issues involve violence and graphic images of public interest or concern, such as human rights abuses or acts of terrorism. In many instances, when people share this type of content, they are condemning it or raising awareness about it. We remove graphic images when they are shared for sadistic pleasure or to celebrate or glorify violence.

When people share anything on Facebook, we expect that they will share it responsibly, including carefully choosing who will see that content. We also ask that people warn their audience about what they are about to see if it includes graphic violence."

However, Facebook claims the removal was an "error," telling Too Fab:

"The photo was removed in error and restored as soon as we were able to investigate. Our team processes millions of reports each week, and we sometimes get things wrong. We're very sorry about this mistake."

Hubbard was initially not pleased, telling Today:

"I was furious. As a small-business owner, Facebook is my livelihood and I pay a lot of money to them for people to see my posts. At the most critical time of my career, they're banning me from answering people looking to book sessions and preventing me from deleting comments from people saying terrible things about my business and children.

Facebook basically tied me up and allowed the angry pitchfork moms to come burn me."

Hubbard's Facebook account was eventually restored, and she's now on better terms with Facebook.

Though Hubbard at first felt Facebook didn't provide adequate protection from said pitchfork moms, her mood considerably improved when "The Walking Dead" creator Robert Kirkman acknowledged her photo shoot and featured it on his official website.

She's quite pleased with the publicity she's gotten, posting, "Thank you to Facebook for rectifying the situation, and continuing to help my business flourish."

And as for the future? 

"I'm trying to focus on the positive. I would take all the haters, abuse, death threats and people calling my daughter horrible names if I knew this would lead to being recognized by the show. I don't regret it. I would do it over again," she told Today.

The takeaway? Facebook's photo guidelines are not very clear.

As ATTN: previously reported, Facebook came under fire for removing a photo of a father holding his son in the shower, and for removing an ad featuring plus-sized model Tess Holliday. In the latter case, Facebook cited its "health and fitness policy" as reason for removal (the ad was later approved amid backlash).

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