Why Did Facebook Block Kirk Cameron’s New Movie?

Jul 18, 2013 By Todd Starnes

It’s something of a social networking mystery.

Why did Facebook block Kirk Cameron’s upcoming faith-based movie, “Unstoppable”? Cameron announced on his fan page Thursday that Facebook had blocked fans from posting any links to the website promoting his film because the content was labeled “abusive and unsafe.”
“We have been officially shut down by Facebook and unable to get any response from them,” Cameron wrote on his personal Facebook fan page. The film was made in partnership with Liberty University, the self-proclaimed largest Christian university in the world.
After Cameron alerted more than 500,000 Facebook fans of his predicament, the social networking site removed the block – without any explanation.
“This is a real victory,” he said, thanking his fans and supporters for reaching out to Facebook. “If we work together, we really do have a voice.”
“Unstoppable,” which is expected in theaters in the fall, aims to answer questions about suffering and recounts the personal experience of a Cameron friend whose son battled cancer.
“I would understand if there was something truly unsafe about my stuff,” Cameron told Fox News. “But I would encourage people to watch the trailer. Do you find anything offensive about faith, hope and love in the time of a tragedy?”
The film’s website does not contain any graphic photographs, video or profanity. However, Cameron said he received a message from Facebook telling him the website’s content was labeled as “abuse” and “unsafe.”
“This is my most personal film about faith, hope and love and about why God allows bad things to happen to good people,” Cameron wrote. “What is ‘abusive’ or ‘unsafe’ about that?”
A Facebook media representative did not reply to an email seeking comment.
In recent months, the social networking website has come under criticism from conservatives and Christians who said their pages have been either blocked or banned because of “abusive” content. Earlier this year, the “Chicks on the Right” Facebook page was shut down after they posted a message criticizing the White House. Facebook later apologized for that incident.
Cameron told Fox News he learned of the block several days ago when he tried to post a link to his website and Facebook denied the request. Thinking it was a mistake, he tried it again.
“My web technician along with Sony Provident Films were trying as well on their Facebook pages but nobody could post the website address for my film,” he said.
Cameron said they tried calling Facebook to find out why their content had been banned – but no one returned their calls. As a measure of last resort, he alerted more than 500,000 fans on his personal Facebook page.
“Whether Facebook did it internally or whether it was a group of people that labeled it abusive, somebody doesn’t like what I’m doing enough to make Facebook unwilling to let anyone post a link to my website,” he told Fox News.
Cameron, who achieved fame in the 1980s as the start of “Growing Pains,” is now a well-known Christian producer, actor and evangelist. He’s starred in a number of faith-based films including the “Left Behind” films and most recently, “Monumental,” a documentary about the nation’s founders and their biblical principles.
Michael Catt, the executive producer of Sherwood Pictures, called Cameron a stand-up guy. Cameron starred in Sherwood’s “Fireproof” film.
“I found him to be very kind and gracious to everyone on the set,” Catt told Fox News. “He also spoke in our church and was well received by our people.”