'It's ridiculous. It's Picasso': Facebook reviewing anti-nudity policy after blocking Montreal museum ad

Social media giant Facebook is reviewing its nudity policyafter theMontreal Museum of Fine Arts complained the sitekept blocking its ads for a Picasso exhibit.

The museum initially used an image of the artist's 1956 paintingFemmes la toilettea cubist work that features two naked womentoadvertisean ongoing show called From Africa to the Americas: Face-to-Face Picasso, Past and Present.

But when the museum tried to circulate the ad on Facebook, it was rejected because of the site's anti-nuditypolicy.

"It was funny for us, you know, likeunbelievable," PascaleChass, a museum spokesperson, told CBCMontreal'sDaybreak.

The museum changed the ad three times using different images from the exhibit, though each contained at least one breast. All of those were rejected too,Chasssaid.

Facebookeven rejected a gallery photo that had one of the offending nude paintings in the background.

"It's ridiculous. It's Picasso,"Chasssaid.

Fed up, the museum appealed to Facebook directly, asking that photos of internationally renowned high art be allowed.

In response, Facebook agreed to let the museum's ad live online. The social network site is now also considering extending that exemptions to others as well.

"We want to make sure that museums and other institutions are able to share some of their most iconic paintings," said a Facebook spokesperson inan email.

The statement also said: "Nudity in paintings is currently not allowed in ads.[We are]currently reviewing our approach to nudity in paintings in ads on Facebook."

Chassbelieves it was Facebook's powerfulalgorithms that flagged the museum's adsas inappropriatecontent.

She said that once they complained, a human analyst was assigned to take a look at the flagged content.

"You just have to talk to a human," she said. "First it's algorithm. If you want to protest or have more explanation, it has to go to a human."

She said she's happy, and surprised, that Facebook was willing to play ball and consider revising their approach. And if it helps other museums in the quest to get visitors through the doors, then that's all the better saidChass.

With files from CBC Montreal's Daybreak, Matt D'Amours