UPDATE: Facebook has now reversed its position regarding removal of this page after not allowing any new posts for approximately six hours. The page is again active as well as several similar pages. Sportsmen and women should remain vigilant in their support of Kendall Jones and all other hunters who are the victims of cyber-bullying. Stay tuned for more developments as they occur.
A page titled “Kendall Jones Hate Page” has been removed by Facebook after a deluge of complaints from sportsmen reporting it as harassment.
The page in question was created when numerous stories of 19-year-old hunter, Kendall Jones, surfaced after she posted photos of her recent African safari to her fan page. Photos of Jones with African animals she had legally harvested sparked outcry from animal rights activists who soon took to social media to harass and threaten the life of the teenager.
The “Kendall Jones Hate Page” served as a platform for the anti-hunting community to further post photos and berate and threaten the young hunter.
“I am truly proud of how our community rose up and helped dismantle this page.” said Nick Pinizzotto, USSA president and CEO. “This is a huge statement from the hunting community that we will not stand for this type of behavior.”
According to Facebook, the page violated the Facebook Community Standards for bullying and harassment. According to the standards, “Facebook does not tolerate bullying or harassment. We allow users to speak freely on matters and people of public interest, but take action on all reports of abusive behavior directed at private individuals. Repeatedly targeting other users with unwanted friend requests or messages is a form of harassment.”
“It’s a great day for the hunting community as they rallied around Kendall.” said Pinizzotto. “Anti-hunters have taken their insults and threats to the extreme. They are showing their true colors by threatening a young woman who is doing nothing more than practicing legal hunting methods and helping to conserve wildlife.”