SOCIAL Networking site Facebook have issued an apology after a book cover, featuring Dublin's iconic Molly Malone statue, was deemed 'too sexy' to appear on the site.
Facebook have since apologised for blocking the image, admitting that they thought the world famous figure, with her ample bosom was an advert for a dating site.
The statue of Molly Malone, known locally as 'The Tart with the Cart' in reference to an urban legend that the fabled fishmonger may have moonlighted as a prostitute, has graced the Irish capital's streets for the past 28 years.
The bronze statue appears on the front cover of Dublin author Frank Whelan’s first novel Diary of the Wolf. Whelan was initially refused permission to advertise his book on the site based solely on Molly’s appearance.
Facebook moderators believed the image was an advert for a dating site, but even when Whelan cleared up the misunderstanding, the image was still rejected.
Whelan said, "At first, I was amused, but I ended up feeling frustrated. I wanted to promote my novel on Facebook, but I definitely won't be changing the cover."
Alex Connolly, spokesman for Failte Ireland, also commented that such is the fame of the statue that he would not be surprised if the image was not already "plastered all over Facebook" by visitors to Dublin.
The company has since issued a statement in which they acknowledged their mistake.
Our rules around nudity are in place to reflect the wide range of people on Facebook. We always aim to strike a balance between artistic expression and making sure our global community feels comfortable. In reviewing this we made a mistake and quickly restored the advert once it was brought to our attention. We apologize for any inconvenience we caused.”
The statue of Molly Malone was unveiled by then Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alderman Ben Briscoe during the 1988 Dublin Millennium celebrations. In Dublin, June 13 is celebrated as Molly Malone Day.
