Facebook Removes Texan Cheerleader’s Hunting Pics

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Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) took down the photos from Kendall Jones’ account, who is a Texas Tech cheerleader, as the images breach the social networker’s terms of service. Jones posted photos of animals she hunted in Africa, earlier this month.

Photos breach Facebook service terms

As per the company, the photos are not in line with its graphic content rule stated in the Facebook Community Standards. The rule says that the pictures should not be “graphic images shared for sadistic effect or to celebrate or glorify violence.”

One of the Facebook spokesperson told Mashable, “We remove reported content that promotes poaching of endangered species, the sale of animals for organized fight or content that includes extreme acts of animal abuse.” The spokesperson added that not all the images are removed as some can be used to spread awareness.

An online petition backed by 325,000 signatures asked CEO Mark Zuckerberg to remove the pictures. However, now, the social networker is drawing criticism from hunting advocates and gun-rights supporters for removing the photos.

Despite the anti sentiments, Jones is still advocating her right to hunt the animals under the hashtag #supportkendall. She is using her Facebook page to post pictures of wild animals accompanied with pro-hunting text.

Jones, a celebrity

As per her Facebook page, Jones has been a hunter since the age of 9, and her first kill was a rhino during a trip to Africa, when she was only 13 years.

“Although I had many other opportunities to shoot animals I wanted to save it for the Big 5, so the first animal I ever shot was a White Rhino with a .416 Remington!! On this trip I also took some plains game, such as impala, kudu and mountain reedbuck home,” she wrote on her Facebook page.

On her Facebook profile, Jones says “safari hunting is socially responsible,” as the money earned is used to support conservation efforts. Jones received wide criticism for the photos of a lion, a rhino, a leopard and more. She, also, received support from many advocating that safari hunts help in controlling population. Many entertainment platforms have published story on Jones and her past. She will, also, feature in a reality show airing January 2015 on the Sportsman Channel.

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