Suspension from Facebook

Stilernin2

I have been admin for a private FB group (for people who sew for charity) for almost five years with no issues.  A few days ago I was adding a PDF to the Files, adding a post explaining to our members that it was a new version of something that many regularly print for us to save costs.  Someone put a question about it in the comments.  To address this I went to Edit my post but found it had been deleted.   

Thinking I had done this in error, I repeated the process with near enough the same words.  This was also deleted and a pop-up told me that it had been taken down due to an 'Intellectual Property Violation'.  There was a link for me to 'appeal' which I followed, I was then told that I would receive an email, which did.   This had a link for another 'form' for me to complete.

As I had no idea what I had said that was a problem I struggled to answer the questions .  I put my case that we are a group of people who sewed for charity etc etc and the only thing I could think of that offended them was that we are Project LINUS UK .  However, the word Linus had been use frequently in our group on FB and in many others.  The response I got to that was that I 'had not answered the questions an if I persisted I would be suspended for 2 days.  Also, if I persisted further I would be banned altogether.  I replied to this email, but as yet, have not received a reply.  I guess I was talking to a bot who is now bored with the conversation.

With the posts deleted, the PDF was not in our Files, so the following day I thought I'd try again with very few words added as a .  This post (and PDF) was not deleted.

Feeling encouraged, the following morning I added a fresh post with a brief explanation regarding the added PDF to give everyone the heads up that it was in the Files, then lo and behold it was deleted and I am now suspended for 2 days.  Not only can I not post etc but I cannot use Messenger which is my main method of communication with people individually.

How do I proceed if I have no idea what I have done wrong?  If I just wait for the two day, how do I that it won't happen again and I'm chucked off altogether?  Why in the first instance could the offending text, if that is what it was, not be highlighted in some way?

Finally, why was the third attempt at adding the PDF to the files not deleted, but the fourth post with no PDF/attachment deleted and counted as my third transgression?

Sorry for such a long post but I wanted to be clear about what had happened.  I do hope someone can help  

Thank you.

TELLIT01

It's not what you have said which is a problem, it's the posting of the PDF which I presume was part of an instruction manual.  That manual is owned by somebody and can't be reproduced without their permission.  Doing so without permission is Infringing Intellectual Property Rights.

Stilernin2

TELLIT01 said:

It's not what you have said which is a problem, it's the posting of the PDF which I presume was part of an instruction manual.  That manual is owned by somebody and can't be reproduced without their permission.  Doing so without permission is Infringing Intellectual Property Rights.

Thanks, but the PDF is a single sheet, written by us, that is only text describing what we as a group do; a 'paper label' that is pinned to each quilt that we donate. It is formatted to be already 2 to a page for printing and made into a PDF to avoid less experienced people altering the text.

I was replacing one that was already in the Files with an updated version.   Also, the fourth post (the third one deleted) had no PDF, it was just a normal post.

EDIT:  I also routinely add PDFs of free patterns available  from various websites and blogs that have logos and company names on them.

tacpot12

I can't offer any advice based on experience with Facebook, but I wonder if adding your own Copyright notice to the PDF would help. You can then confirm to Facebook that you own the copyright to the material you are posting.

I would also suggest that you get help to complete forms like this that seem to be difficult. It is all too easy to say the wrong thing. I don't think it is any words you have used, unless you are using a phrase which might be detected as having copyright associated with it. It is almost certainly the fact you are attaching a PDF, and may be nothing to do with the content of the  PDF, but if the PDF is protected in some way so that Facebook can't scan it, this might also trigger it to be marked as problem content. 

flaneurs_lobster

I'm doubtful but does the (non-personal) use of PDF's have to acknowledge Adobe's ownership somehow?

Stilernin2

Thanks tacpot12 and flaneurs_lobster .  I'll look into these things.

The material in the PDF was identical to the first 6 versions, this one V7 was only different because of a contact name change.

The appeal that had to be completed, the usual boxes, was basically asking for an explanation for my misdemeanour which I really couldn't answer as I had no idea what I had done.  The reply to the following email requesting 'them' to tell me, has not yet had a reply.

What worries me is that if my 'card is now marked' one day I could be permanently excluded. 

Newcad

A quick google for Project Linus sewing label shows that examples of the label do contain a copyrighted image - if your new one still includes that image then that is no doubt why it has been taken down.

Although your organisation may have used the image in the past (without permission?) I guess the copyright holder has now asserted their rights with Facebook.

The fact that you are a charity does not mean you don't need to have permission to use copyright images.

If the organistion does have permission then it may be Faceache being over-cautious.

booneruk

I'd make sure someone else has admin level access to the group so if you do lose access you could be granted group admin rights again after setting up a new Facebook account.

Stilernin2

Newcad said:

A quick google for Project Linus sewing label shows that examples of the label do contain a copyrighted image - if your new one still includes that image then that is no doubt why it has been taken down.

Although your organisation may have used the image in the past (without permission?) I guess the copyright holder has now asserted their rights with Facebook.

The fact that you are a charity does not mean you don't need to have permission to use copyright images.

This isn't the fabric label that is sewn on each quilt.  It is an A5 piece of paper with washing instructions, the mandatory unique number that all quilts must be recorded by, a contact email address for the local coordinator, and the makers name if known.  There is an invitation for the parent to check us out on FB (Project Linus Northumbria) and a mention that some parents are kind enough to upload pics of the recipient of the quilt. This paper label is only pinned to the quilt.

All our PDFs are in the Files of the private group for those who stitch -  Stitch for Linus Northumbria  - where for almost 5 years, patterns, forms, and an Online Quilt Magazine are saved.

In fact I've just remembered, immediately before adding the Paper Label PDF, another, the Stock Sheet, was added along with a post with no issue at all.  Also, as mentioned in this saga,  the third post was not deleted, so the Paper Label PDF is actually sitting in the Files now.

My real question I suppose, is , how on earth do you communicate with Facebook?   

Stilernin2

booneruk said:

I'd make sure someone else has admin level access to the group so if you do lose access you could be granted group admin rights again after setting up a new Facebook account.

Thanks, there is another admin as well as me.  We are all ladies of a 'certain age' so we always have Plan B in case that bus comes careering around the corner !

To set up another FB account, would I need a different email address?

bluelad1927

Stilernin2 said:

TELLIT01 said:

It's not what you have said which is a problem, it's the posting of the PDF which I presume was part of an instruction manual.  That manual is owned by somebody and can't be reproduced without their permission.  Doing so without permission is Infringing Intellectual Property Rights.

EDIT:  I also routinely add PDFs of free patterns available  from various websites and blogs that have logos and company names on them.

Just because they are available  as free patterns it does not necessarily  mean that you are allowed to distribute them