【L0ve Bite (2024) Part 2 Hindi Web Series】

Updated: Friday,L0ve Bite (2024) Part 2 Hindi Web Series September 9, 1:28 P.M. EDT

Facebook's journalism struggles continue.

Norway's largest newspaper has published a front-page letter from its editor in chief that calls out Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook for its heavy-handed censorship over the removal of a famous photograph.

"Facebook has become a world-leading platform for spreading information, for debate and for social contact between persons. You have gained this position because you deserve it," wrote Espen Egil Hansen, the editor of Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten. "But, dear Mark, you are the world’s most powerful editor."

Hansen's letter drew widespread attention, with near unanimous agreement among journalist and media pundits that Facebook had made a mistake.

Facebook agreed, eventually. On Friday afternoon, Facebook reportedly agreed to reinstate the picture.

"Because of its status as an iconic image of historical importance, the value of permitting sharing outweighs the value of protecting the community by removal, so we have decided to reinstate the image on Facebook where we are aware it has been removed," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.

The controversy comes at a time when Facebook's journalistic credentials are nearing an all-time low, particularly as its real-time Trending Topics section continues to produce fake stories after the company fired its editorial curators.

Hansen penned the letter in response to Facebook's attempts to force the newspaper to remove a photograph -- in this case one of the most famous images of the Vietnam War.

Hansen said that Facebook had emailed the paper on Wednesday with a demand to remove the picture.

Then, Facebook took action.

"Less than 24 hours after the e-mail was sent, and before I had time to give my response, you intervened yourselves and deleted the article as well as the image from Aftenposten’s Facebook page," he wrote.

Facebook did not immediately return a request for comment.

The article in question featured seven famous war photographs. The picture that Facebook objected to shows a group of people fleeing down a road after the use of napalm bombs. A young girl is at the center, naked.

The photo, among the most iconic ever taken, became known as "napalm girl" and won its photographer, Nick Ut, the Pulitzer Prize.

The girl in the picture, Kim Phuk, also reportedly called out Facebook, saying through a spokesperson that she was "saddened" by the decision.

Hansen said that the author of the Aftenpostenarticle was then banned from making a new post.

Hansen did not mince words in how he regards Facebook's actions -- directing his criticism squarely at Zuckerberg.

"I think you are abusing your power, and I find it hard to believe that you have thought it through thoroughly," Hansen wrote.

Hansen's argument may fall on deaf ears. Zuckerberg has routinely said that Facebook is not a media company, let alone a journalistic institution. This claim is routinely scoffed at.

"When you gather people’s attention, and sell that attention to advertisers, guess what? You’re a media company," wrote Recode's Peter Kafka in a recent article, pointing out that Facebook makes billions of dollars in advertising.

Facebook did not stop at removing the Aftenpostenarticle. Various politicians in Norway voiced support for the paper and also posted the photo. Facebook removed them as well, according to the Guardian.

Among those politicians was Erna Solberg, the prime minister of Norway. Solberg called for Facebook to "review its editing policy," in a Facebook post that included a censored versions of iconic photographs.

Rolv Erik Ryssdal, the CEO of Schibsted, the Norwegian media conglomerate that owns Aftenposten, expressed support for Hansen's stand.

"It is not acceptable. Facebook’s censorship is an attack on the freedom of expression – and therefore on democracy. I, and the whole of Schibsted Media Group, give Aftenposten our full support on this case," Rssdal said in a statement sent to Mashable.

Facebook's statement in it's entirety:

After hearing from our community, we looked again at how our Community Standards were applied in this case. An image of a naked child would normally be presumed to violate our Community Standards, and in some countries might even qualify as child pornography. In this case, we recognize the history and global importance of this image in documenting a particular moment in time. Because of its status as an iconic image of historical importance, the value of permitting sharing outweighs the value of protecting the community by removal, so we have decided to reinstate the image on Facebook where we are aware it has been removed. We will also adjust our review mechanisms to permit sharing of the image going forward. It will take some time to adjust these systems but the photo should be available for sharing in the coming days. We are always looking to improve our policies to make sure they both promote free expression and keep our community safe, and we will be engaging with publishers and other members of our global community on these important questions going forward.