Mum’s outrage after Instagram remove photos of her young son with facial deformity as they ‘don’t meet with their guidelines’
Charlie Beswick, from Stoke-on-Trent criticised the image sharing website for removing a photo of her son Harry, 12, whowas born with Goldenhar syndrome
A MUM was left outraged after Instagram removed photos of her young son with a facial deformity.
Charlie Beswick, from Stoke-on-Trent criticised the image sharing website for removing a photo of her son Harry, 12, who has a facial deformity, after it was reported by another social media user.
Harry, who has a twin brother named Oliver, was born with Goldenhar syndrome and has no eye socket or nostril and also has a short jaw.
Harry has a prosthetic eye, but when Charlie posted a picture of him without his eye in on Sunday, the picture was taken down two days later.
Charlie, who keeps a blog called , and after the snap was removed for not meeting Instagram’s “guidelines”.
Alongside a screenshot of the photo, she wrote: “If someone hates to look at my child then I have two things to say: a) scroll past and b) you’re an a*******.
“I’m beyond disgusted. Instagram needs to rectify this discrimination.”
She also wrote: “What do you see when you look at my boy?
“I see the most beautiful smile, wonderful heart and purest love.
“Sadly some people on Instagram feel that it’s too much to look at and have reported a picture of him (again).
“Despite the fact that the picture Instagram removed had well over 2,300 likes and more than 200 lovely comments of support.”
The mum then new photo on Instagram, writing: “Me: ‘Hello Harry. Where’s your eye? Oh damn, it’s still on the side at home!’
“Note to the person who reported the last image of my son like this: It’s his face.
“If you’re offended then scroll past. Shame on you.”
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And people were quick to support Charlie and Harry, with thousands sharing and commenting on the post.
One commented: “I’d rather see his shining happy face than some of the rubbish and grotesque images people insist on sharing.”
Another said: “Harry is a wonderful beautiful little boy. Whoever reported it should be utterly ashamed.”
Charlie said: "Instagram haven't apologised - they've restored the photograph but not explained why it was removed in first place or apologised.
"It really upset me to have my child's face taken off the platform and that it contravened some sort of guidelines.
"I have 11,700 followers and a really lovely community (of followers).
"On the picture I had 2,300 likes, over 200 comments - all really nice supportive comments.
"Had they taken 30 seconds to look at the image they would see it was really well received and a high engagement post for them.
"I felt quite offended, quite confused."
Harry goes to a special school because of his autism and suffers from global learning delay, meaning his cognitive and physical development is much slower that others.
He is non-verbal, meaning he cannot hold a conversation and is functioning at around two and a half years old rather than 12.
He has had surgery to create his missing eye sockets and wears a prosthetic ear.
Charlie said: "Goldenhar syndrome is an umbrella term for craniofacial and spinal abnormalities.
"His spine is unaffected, his mobility is fine.
"But he is at the more severe end of the craniofacial cosmetic end so when he was born he had got no eye socket at all, no eye, no ear, no nostril and a short underdeveloped jaw as well.
"This isn't the first time Instagram have done this, it's the second time they've taken an image off.
"Both times were when he didn't have his prosthetic eye in - it's specifically those pictures Instagram or someone is finding offensive.
"He has had a lot of surgery to create those sockets so I'm proud to show it off."
Instagram claims to have since apologised for removing the photo and they have restored the photo.
A spokesman for Instagram said: “We mistakenly removed the photo, but quickly restored it as soon as the mistake was brought to our attention.
“We have apologised to the family”.
Visit Charlie's blog at