Facebook blocks a Russian surgeon for uploading photos of a urethra to a closed medical group

Facebook has blocked the page of Alexey Zhivov, a well-known surgeon, urologist, and oncologist based outside Moscow, because he posted photographs in a closed group showing the results of an unsuccessful operation on a man’s urethra. Head physician of the Elias Hospital, Zhivov posted the content in a private Facebook group where doctors discuss professional issues. The images were online for roughly two weeks before Facebook froze his account for “suspicious” activity. Zhivov says subsequent attempts to register a new Facebook account from different IP addresses using different email accounts have all failed. Facebook just keeps banning him.

About 800 doctors have joined the closed Facebook group “Reconstructive Urology.” Many of them are well-known specialists, and moderators have to approve any new members. Zhivov says he created the group himself several years ago to collect and encourage the discussion of complex and interesting surgical cases, and to allow physicians to seek advice and share their experiences. Alexey Zhivov is one of Russia’s leading specialists in reconstructive urology and genital cancer. He was both an administrator and a moderator in the group he created on Facebook. Because the group was dedicated to discussions about urology, members periodically shared photographs of the human body’s genitourinary system.

“I published a photo of a urethra that needed surgery,” Dr. Zhivov told Meduza. “It was online for roughly two weeks, before Facebook sent me a message saying that my account had been closed because of violations of the network’s terms of service. I immediately filed an appeal with technical support, but they’ve been reviewing it for three weeks now.” According to Zhivov, Facebook also flagged several photographs from his personal page, claiming they demonstrated “suspicious activity.” Zhivov says the photos only showed him with other urologists eating in a restaurant and sitting with them around a table.

Zhivov believes that his account was frozen because of his medical and outreach activities, and he doesn’t rule out that his critics could be responsible for filing the complaints with Facebook administrators.

Zhivov says he’s tried to create a new Facebook account, but the website keeps blocking him. “All my attempts to open a new account have hit a wall, as soon as the bots identify me after I upload a photo,” he says. “Even though I tried registering from different IP addresses, using different email accounts.” The doctor says the ban on Facebook “casts a shadow on his reputation,” and also deprives him of access to “a very large circle of specialists around the world.”

Andrey Volna, the head of trauma and orthopedics at Zhivov’s hospital, has stood up for his colleague, criticizing Facebook for confusing photographs of the prostate gland with pornography. Volna, like Zhivov, suggests that “someone who doesn’t share the doctor’s political views” is responsible for complaining to Facebook. “Dr. Zhivov doesn’t hide and doesn’t intend to hide his surgical or ‘Yabloko’ political views,” Volna explained. (Alexey Zhivov is a vocal supporter of the liberal opposition party “Yabloko.”)

So far, Facebook has not responded to Zhivov’s appeal. Instead, he has received automated messages informing him that his account has been disabled for violations of the network’s terms of service, and he can appeal the decision, if he wishes. Facebook’s service terms ban the spread of pornography on the website. Users who violate this rule will be blocked, though Facebook doesn’t specify how long it will block individuals. Accounts can remain frozen for a few days, several months, or forever.

Russian text by Tasha Makei, translation by Kevin Rothrock