Facebook prudery does not wash in France

A father-of-three has won the right to sue Facebook in France - after it shut his account for using a 19th century oil painting as his profile picture.

Frederic Durand-Baissas, a 57-year-old Parisian teacher and art lover, had his Facebook account suspended five years ago without prior notice after choosing to post Gustave Courbet's 1866 'The Origin of the World', which depicts female genitalia.

The father-of-three now wants his account reactiviated, and is asking for the social media giant to pay him 20,000 euros (£15,545) - and has finally won the right to have the case heard in France.

'This is a case of free speech and censorship on a social network,' Durand-Baissas said. 'If (Facebook) can't see the difference between an artistic masterpiece and a pornographic image, we in France (can).'

Facebook, which has not given an explanation for the suspended account, could not immediately be reached for comment after the ruling.

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