The social network had introduced a temporary ban in May
following complaints that the clips could cause long-term psychological damage.
The US firm confirmed it now believed its users should be
free to watch and condemn such videos. It added it was, however, considering
adding warnings.
One suicide prevention charity condemned the move.
"It only takes seconds of exposure to such graphic
material to leave a permanent trace - particularly in a young person's
mind," said Dr Arthur Cassidy, a former psychologist who runs a branch of
the Yellow Ribbon Program in Northern Ireland.
"The more graphic and colourful the material is, the
more psychologically destructive it becomes."
Two of the firm's official safety advisors have also
criticised the decision.
Facebook allows anyone aged 13 and above to be a member.
Its terms and conditions now state that it will remove
photos or videos that "glorify violence" in addition to other banned
material, including a woman's "fully exposed breast".
New rules
The firm was refusing to remove a page showing a clip of a
masked man killing a woman, which is believed to have been filmed in Mexico.
It was posted last week under the title, Challenge: Anybody
can watch this video?
Facebook comments
Some Facebook users complained about a video showing a
decapitation being allowed to remain on the site
"Remove this video too many young innocent minds out
there shouldn't see this!!!" wrote one user in the comments section below.
"This is absolutely horrible, distasteful and needs to
be removed... there are too many young minds that can see this. I'm 23 and I'm
very disturbed after seeing a couple of seconds of it," wrote another.
The social network later confirmed it was allowing such
material to be posted again.
"Facebook has long been a place where people turn to
share their experiences, particularly when they're connected to controversial
events on the ground, such as human rights abuses, acts of terrorism and other
violent events," said a spokeswoman.
"People are sharing this video on Facebook to condemn
it. If the video were being celebrated, or the actions in it encouraged, our
approach would be different.
"However, since some people object to graphic video of
this nature, we are working to give people additional control over the content
they see. This may include warning them in advance that the image they are
about to see contains graphic content."
The firm also disabled the adverts for third-party products
that had been appearing alongside the video.
Advisors concerned
Facebook originally pulled decapitation videos after the
Family Online Safety Institute - a member of its Safety Advisory Board -
complained that they "crossed a line".
The charity's leader Stephen Balkam told he was surprised by
the latest development.
"I would have expected a heads-up on this," he
said.
"I went to have a look at the video and there's no
warning label nor is there any condemnatory context. It's just sort of up there
and the first image you are presented with is a woman's head being held by a
guy.
"I'm very unhappy that these have gone back up and that
they have gone up without any warning. First thing tomorrow morning I intend to
raise this with Facebook."
Another of the board members, London-based Childnet
International, said it also had concerns.
"Such content should be taken down," said its
chief executive Will Gardner.
"There is a need to raise issues happening around the
world, there is that argument, but some content is horrific.
"We would want to see steps to try and protect people
from coming across such content. I'll tell Facebook what our view is,
absolutely."
'Profoundly shocking'
Decapitation videos are available elsewhere on the net -
including on Google's YouTube - but critics have raised concern that Facebook's
news feeds and other sharing functions mean it is particularly adept at
spreading such material.
Woman looks at Facebook
Some psychologists have raised concerns that watching
graphic violence can harm the viewer
"I have seen some of these videos - they are profoundly
shocking," said John Carr, who sits on the executive board of the UK
government's Council on Child Internet Safety.
"Facebook has taken leave of its senses. Those videos
will fuel countless nightmares among the young and the sensitive."
The idea of Facebook issuing a blanket ban had, however,
concerned some freedom-of-speech campaigners who had suggested it was the
responsibility of parents - not the company - to protect children on the
internet.
However, the French digital rights group La Quadrature du
Net said it was still concerned that Facebook was reserving the right to take
down the videos if it took issue with the way they were presented.
"It shows how much Facebook is in power to decide
whatever will or will not be expressed through its network," said the
organisation's co-founder Jeremie Zimmermann.
"It plays a profoundly anti-democratic role when it
makes any such choice, whatever the limits are and whatever the good reasons it
uses to make the decision. Only a judicial authority should be able to restrict
fundamental freedoms according to the rule of law."
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