(Columbus, OH) – Skull Bound TV, a popular hunting and fishing show on The Sportsman Channel, has been shut out of their Facebook page for 24-hours with no access to add new content after a standard post was said to not follow “Facebook Community Standards.”
The post in question showed a 7-foot black bear harvested on a do-it-yourself hunt by Jim Kinsey, director of the show, after “one of the most incredible hunts of our lives” according to Jana Waller, host of Skull Bound TV.
The post made by Waller showed Kinsey sitting proudly behind his legal harvest.
“Tears were flowing after 28 years of searching for this kind of Montana bruin,” Waller told USSA. “We were given no explanation for why it was removed. We hunt ethically and in good taste and we feel violated.”
According to the social network: “The conversation that happens on Facebook – and the opinions expressed here – mirror the diversity of the people using Facebook.”
However, Facebook requires users to follow the “Community Standards” that include categories such as Violence and Threats, Self-Harm, Bullying and Harassment, Hate Speech, Graphic Content, and more, all of which do not set certain standards, but guidelines.
“The fact that Facebook removed Skull Bound’s post and photo that showcased an ethical hunt without any explanation is unacceptable,” said Nick Pinizzotto, USSA president and CEO. “Jana and Jim put a lot of hard work and passion into that hunt and they deserve to be able to share it.”
“Graphic Content” according to the standards is “when people share any content, we expect that they will share in a responsible manner. That includes choosing carefully the audience for the content.”
“Skull Bound in no way violated the Facebook Community Standards as they were simply sharing content their fans would like to see, as is stated in Facebook rules,” said Pinizzotto. “This appears the work of anti-hunters from behind computer screens.”
Waller is perplexed on why this particular post was flagged.
“This is our marketing page and it’s ridiculous that we can’t ‘share, promote or celebrate our hunting lifestyle because some “anti hunter” doesn’t like it. Simply stay off our hunting page if you don’t believe in hunting.” said Waller. “I can guarantee that I do more for animals through my conservation donations, purchasing hunting licenses and supporting our hunting heritage than 99 percent of anti hunters.”
