Facebook reportedly blocks 'I Am A Christian' ad for being 'offensive'

Producers of the film I Am Christian, which tells the story of Sudanese woman Meriam Ibrahim and her dedication to her faith while on death row, were reportedly shocked when the social networking site told them the ad they tried to place to promote the movie wasn't approved "because it doesn't follow Facebook's Advertising Guidelines for language that is profane, vulgar, threatening, or generates high negative feedback."

The ad, which appears on the movie's Facebook page, asks "Are you a Christian?" and challenges those who identify as such to use the "I Am A Christian" image as their profile picture for one week.

Facebook says the ad wasn't approved because it doesn't follow the company's language policies. "We've found that people dislike ads that directly address them or their personal characteristics such as religion," Facebook's Ads Team wrote.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

This isn't the only controversy that I Am Christian has had to endure. Ibrahim, the woman whose story the film is based on, has recently come out against the movie, claiming it is being made without permission.