Facebook blocks private messages

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May 8, 2009
Facebook blocks private messages

If links to certain websites are detected in a private message, the user is shown a warning. --PHOTO: AFP

SYDNEY - AN AUSTRALIAN news website reported on Friday that Facebook has begun blocking private messages.
The technology blog written by News Limited journalist Andrew Ramadge stated that Facebook 'has started censoring private messages sent between users to block out internet nasties'.

According to the blog on news.com.au, if links to certain websites are detected in a private message, the user is shown a warning.

The message says 'Warning: This message contains blocked content. Some content in this message has been reported as abusive by Facebook users.'

The message is then deleted automatically.

Mr Ramadge writes that the first block to be reported was applied to The Pirate Bay; one of the world's largest file-sharing websites. The Pirate Bay recently lost a legal battle against a number of music and film industry groups.

'Links to The Pirate Bay's homepage were reportedly accepted, but links to specific pages within the site were blocked,' wrote Mr Ramadge.

'When we tested it today, that was still happening. However links to other file-sharing sites were fine:

The Pirate Bay - BLOCKED

Mininova - OK

Demonoid - OK

BTJunkie - OK

'Links to at least one major pornography site were also blocked.'

The internet industry website, Wired, also reported that this censorship could lead to Facebook breaching United States wire-tapping laws.

Chris Kelly, Facebook's chief privacy officer, said the website had a legal right to censor messages, reported Mr Ramadge.

'Because users had agreed not to send 'spammy, illegal, threatening or harassing' content in accepting the site's terms of use,' wrote Mr Ramadge, quoting Facebook's officer.