Zuckerberg is a spineless gimp

Facebook is often a breeding ground for controversy. When it's not being used as platform for mindless idiots to air their dirty laundry, the social network is busy upsetting people for one reason or another. We've had censorship of one sort or another. We've had the debacle surrounding the requirement to use a real name and opening up of custom gender options.

If you're the sort of person who likes to express the way you're feeling through the medium of emoji rather than words, you may well have used Facebook's built in 'I am feeling...' feature. Feeling excited? Don’t type it, just select a starry-eyed smiley. But following a Change.org petition, you can no longer select a predefined option to indicate that you feel fat. Why? Because Mark Zuckerberg is completely spineless.

That bastion of democracy (note: sarcasm), Change.org was used as a platform for a campaign that declared 'Fat is not a feeling'. Actually, it did it all cool and hash taggy: #FatisNotaFeeling. After 16,771 people signed the petition -- just think what a tiny, tiny percentage of Facebook users this number is -- Facebook caved in and removed the Feeling Fat emoji.

Let's hear that reasoning in full. I for one am intrigued to hear what possible justification there could be for removing something so innocuous:

We've heard from our community that listing "feeling fat" as an option for status updates could reinforce negative body image, particularly for people struggling with eating disorders. So we’re going to remove "feeling fat" from the list of options. We'll continue to listen to feedback as we think about ways to help people express themselves on Facebook.

What a load of absolute guff. Codswallop of the highest order. Complete tosh. How about getting rid of the 'sad' option because it might upset people struggling with depression. The 'exhausted' option because it could be seen as mocking those who suffer from insomnia, or parents unable to catch enough shut-eye because of the screaming baby in the next room. Let's get rid of 'nervous' -- that might irk people with anxiety disorders. 'Hyper'? What about all those people with ADHD just waiting to be offended? Let's get rid of 'beautiful' while we're at it because, let's face it, there are lots of unattractive people out there, and we wouldn’t want them to feel any worse than they probably do already, now would we?

Of course, none of these suggestions make sense. They're completely illogical and silly... but so was the campaign against the 'feeling fat' emoji. The argument against the Feeling Fat emoji was flawed and overly emotional. True, 'fat' is not a feeling, but it is something you can feel. The campaign makes a sweeping generalization:

When Facebook users set their status to "feeling fat," they are making fun of people who consider themselves to be overweight, which can include many people with eating disorders.

No they're not. And who the bloody hell are you to think you know better? I've never used the Feeling Fat emoji -- or any of the other 'Feeling...' emoji for that matter -- but if I decided to use the 'feeling fat' one, it would be when I had eaten too much and, you know, felt fat. Absolutely nothing to do with mocking people who are fat or who have eating disorders (something I have experience of, thanks very much).

The petition ends, saying:

Please sign to demand that Facebook remove the "fat" emoji from its status options and stop encouraging negative body image among girls.

Really? What about boys? Men? Feel the need to own this one do you? Don't be so damned selfish and self-consumed.

Catherine Weingarten, the campaign starter says:

I saw a friend’s status set to "feeling fat," accompanied by an emoji with chubby cheeks and a double chin. I think it was supposed to be funny, but seeing this status made me feel angry.

If a little yellow smiley with a double-chin can make you feel angry, I think it's time to seek anger management counselling, rather than trying to bend the world to suit your view.

I don’t want to detract from the devastation an eating disorder can cause, but come on! Are we really meant to accept the idea that millions upon millions of Facebook users are having the 'Feeling Fat' option removed because a miniscule fraction of a percent of users might possibly take umbrage at the sight of such a status update. The Change.org campaign was overly emotional -- although, I presume, well-intentioned, albeit in a somewhat busybody-type way -- and Facebook fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Is Zuckerberg really so worried that Facebook could be seen to be party to any possible offence caused by a status update that he felt compelled to bow to this pressure? Grow yourself a spine, man.

Photo credit: Ljupco Smokovski / Shutterstock