Frenchman to sue Facebook for removing 19th century vagina painting
The Facebook account of Frederic Durand-Baissas, a French teacher and art lover, was suspended after he posted a picture of a nude painting. The disputed painting is Gustave Courbet's 1866 "The Origin of the World," which depicts a close-up view of a woman's genitals.
Durand-Baissas is asking for his account to be reactivated and wants 20,000 euros ($22,550) in damages. A Paris appeals court upheld a lower court's ruling on Friday, clearing the way for Facebook to be sued in France. Lawyers for the social media site argued that under its terms of service, lawsuits of this nature could only be heard in a specific Californian court where Facebook is headquartered.
Facebook's current "Community Standards," which were not in effect when Durand-Baissas' account was suspended, allow for "photographs of paintings, sculptures, and other art that depicts nude figures." "This case dates back more than five years and Facebook has evolved considerably since then," Facebook spokeswoman Christine Chen said in an emailed statement.
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