GYM BOSS’S FACEBOOK BAN SLAM
A GOLD COAST gym owner has unleashed on political correctness and “fake influencers” after a before-and-after video of a client was banned in case it made “people feel bad”.
Mark Mathie, owner of Wikedbodz gym at Surfers Paradise, fumed online, incredulous his Facebook ad with client before-and-after shots was banned for fear it could hurt people’s feelings.
Facebook issued a warning to Mr Mathie last week saying his ad wouldn’t run because of the “excessive focus on a person’s body and any given part”.
“This can make users feel bad about themselves and goes against our core value of fostering a positive global community,” the Facebook caution read.
The social media giant suggested Mr Mathie “avoid images with closeups of specific body parts for before-and-after photos.”
The experienced personal trainer vented online, slamming how emotionally-charged conversations on health had become.
“Are you f------ serious? Now we can’t show any type of healthy promotion in case we offend f---ing overweight, unhealthy people?” Mr Mathie said in his online rant.
“Nothing has grinded (sic) my gears more.
“So we don’t offend fat people, because you showed people who had fat that were getting skinny. Has the world come to that? Where does it end? The world has gone f---ing crazy.”
Mr Mathie said he was conscious of the rules of Facebook but has called out social media’s hypocrisy.
“We have male and female influencers photoshopped to the f---ing hilt, they don't even look like that themselves, and we have teenage kids aspiring to be someone who doesn't even look like that anyway – but that is completely fine?
“Showing raw photos, no photoshop, no bulls--t photos of someone who bettered their life ... you can’t do that because you might offend some fat person.”
Mr Mathie said he had no problem with overweight people but had an issue when it impacted on “those who are trying”.
“Why can’t we celebrate those who have worked hard,” he said.
“If one person sees that and goes f---, look at these results, I can do that myself, if they get the confidence to come in and change their life, my job is done.”
Facebook was contacted for comment but did not respond by deadline.
According to the Facebook ad standards page, ads must not contain “beforeand-after” images nor images that contain unexpected or unlikely results.
“Ad content must not imply or attempt to generate negative self-perception in order to promote diet, weight-loss or other healthrelated products.”