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M&S and BSkyB threaten Facebook boycott over adverts Facebook removes ads from controversial pages to avoid boycott
(about 1 hour later)
Facebook is in urgent talks to try to appease two of Britain's major advertisers after they suspended all or part of their spending with the site. Facebook has announced a major revamp of its advertising systems in an attempt to deal with concerns about offensive content.
Marks and Spencer and BSkyB told Facebook they had serious concerns about their advertising appearing next to "inappropriate" content. There will now be new restrictions on where adverts appear on the site.
A member of the public raised the issue with the companies about a Sky advert promoting an M&S voucher. Marks and Spencer and BSkyB were among companies to suspend advertising after complaints that adverts had been placed on pages with offensive material.
The advert was placed on a Facebook page called "cute and gay boys". The social network is now planning to remove any advertising from many of its pages.
The page featured photographs of teenage boys. Facebook's move follows complaints about a Sky advert promoting an M&S voucher.
The store group asked BSkyB to remove the advert, and it has suspended some of its own advertising campaigns on Facebook. The advert was placed on a Facebook page called "cute and gay boys". The page featured photographs of teenage boys.
BSkyB has suspended all of its advertising on the social network, where it has been a major customer. In a blogpost on Friday, Facebook said: "We recognize we need to do more to prevent situations where ads are displayed alongside controversial Pages and Groups. So we are taking action."
'Gold standard'
The company said that from Monday it will implement a new process to determine which pages or groups should feature adverts alongside the content.
There will be no adverts on pages that feature any violent, graphic or sexual content, even if such content is not in violation of the company's rules.
According to one source, Facebook will create a "gold standard" of around 10,000 pages that are deemed suitable for adverts, and then inspect other pages to see if they can be added to the list. All adverts will be removed from other pages.
A spokesman said this would be a labour-intensive process but we take this" very seriously."
BskyB said it looked forward to discussing the new measures and would keep the situation under review.
M&S had asked BSkyB to remove the advert, and it suspended some of its own advertising campaigns on Facebook.
BSkyB suspended all of its advertising on the social network, where it has been a major customer.
Misogynist contentMisogynist content
Both companies said they were keen to use Facebook again, but needed to be sure that their advertising would not appear next to offensive content, or material that might reflect poorly on their brands. Both companies had said they were keen to use Facebook again, but needed to be sure that their advertising would not appear next to offensive content, or material that might reflect poorly on their brands.
A spokesman for BSkyB told the BBC: "We have asked Facebook to devise safeguards to ensure our content does not appear alongside inappropriate material in the future. Speaking before Facebook announced its policy change, a spokesman for BSkyB told the BBC: "We have asked Facebook to devise safeguards to ensure our content does not appear alongside inappropriate material in the future.
"We will review the situation in due course.""We will review the situation in due course."
Sources at Marks and Spencer said Facebook had been taking the issue very seriously at the highest level.Sources at Marks and Spencer said Facebook had been taking the issue very seriously at the highest level.
In an additional statement, an M&S spokeswoman said the company did not "tolerate any inappropriate use or positioning of its brand and has very clear policies that govern where and how our brand is used".In an additional statement, an M&S spokeswoman said the company did not "tolerate any inappropriate use or positioning of its brand and has very clear policies that govern where and how our brand is used".
She added: "We take any suggestion that these policies are not being adhered to very seriously and always investigate them thoroughly."She added: "We take any suggestion that these policies are not being adhered to very seriously and always investigate them thoroughly."
It is understood that the social network could make an announcement later on Friday clarifying how it planned to change its advertising system to deal with the current concerns.
Earlier this month, Facebook was forced to act against misogynist content on its site after protests from women's groups led some advertisers to suspend campaigns.Earlier this month, Facebook was forced to act against misogynist content on its site after protests from women's groups led some advertisers to suspend campaigns.