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Facebook Blocks Woman's Account For Posting Pics Of Down Syndrome Son

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CBS) - A North Carolina woman claims Facebook locked her account after she posted pictures of her son, who has Down's syndrome, participating in a Special Olympics event.

Diana Cornwell told CBS Charlotte her account has finally been reinstated after being blocked for the past three days for posting the photos.

"On Sunday, when I signed on, I had a message the pictures were a violation and was ordered to remove them in order to continue," she told CBS Charlotte.

Cornwell sent CBS Charlotte the message she received from Menlo Park-based Facebook after posting the photos.

"Thank you for removing photos (that) violate the Facebook terms," the message states. "Because you uploaded photo(s) that violate our policies, you are temporarily blocked from posting on the site." It also said never upload anything that contains hate speech, support for violent organizations or threats to harm others.

Cornwell said the pictures were nothing more than her 7-year-old son and others playing at the event.

"Every photo was of my son at the Special Olympics event," Cornwell told CBS Charlotte.

Facebook has apologized for flagging Cornwell's pictures.

"The photo was was taken down in error," Andrew Noyes, Facebook spokesman said in a statement. "We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and we hope she'll repost the photo and continue to share her son's experience at the Special Olympics on Facebook."

Cornwell said the apology is not good enough.

"This is not remotely over until they make some amends toward my son, toward myself and the Special Olympics."

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

 

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