Facebook defends 'disturbing' baby video decision

Facebook has defended its decision not to take down a video that the NSPCC said showed a "terrified, sobbing baby" being repeatedly dunked into a bucket of water.

“When this video is being shared to draw attention to and to condemn what’s happening and ideally to try and help this child then yes, there is a place for it on Facebook,” said Simon Milner, the company’s UK director of policy.

“If it was being shared to praise it or make fun of it then absolutely not and in cases like that we will take it down.”

While disturbing and distressing, the video but did not breach Facebook’s rules as long as it was shared in that context, he said.

“We’ve seen from experience that when things like that are shared, it can and does lead to the rescue of the child.”

But the NSPCC’s Claire Lilley said this wasn’t an isolated incident, and called on the government to “take a good look” at the responsibilities of social networking sites.

“This is one example of content that many people find disturbing but yet which is freely available to see and it’s only when a big fuss is kicked up that action is taken to prevent people from being exposed to it,” she said.

She said she was particularly concerned about the amount of young children using social media sites, and the site owners’ responsibilities towards those children.