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Facebook will allow 'newsworthy' graphic content in timelines

It's a direct response to how the social network censored the 'napalm girl' photo.

Norsk Telegrambyra AS / Reuters

Facebook rightly came under fire for censoring the iconic, Pulitzer-winning "napalm girl" photo THe Terror of War not that long ago. Now, the social network is altering its course as a direct result. "In the weeks ahead, we're going to begin allowing more items that people find newsworthy, significant, or important to the public interest -- even if they might otherwise violate our standards," VP of Global Public Policy for the site Joel Kaplan writes.

The thing is, Zuckerberg and Co. don't know exactly how they'll do it without stepping on anyone's toes in regards to local cultural norms. Kaplan says that the service is going to tap its community and partners to figure it out in regards to tools and rule enforcement. Specifically: experts (gurus are all on vacation, apparently), publishers, journalists, photographers, law enforcement officials and safety advocates. Why start relying on humans instead of algorithms now, though? Oh, right.