Leeds councillor’s drains post blocked by Facebook on ‘sexual solicitation’ grounds

Councillor Wayne Dixon, who was elected to the city’s Middleton Park ward for the SDP earlier this year, had been trying to encourage local residents to report blocked gullies.

But his post, which was accompanied by run-of-the-mill photos of wet pavements, was bizarrely blocked from public viewing by Facebook initially.

In a screenshot posted by Councillor Dixon on Tuesday afternoon, the site told him: “Your post goes against our community standards on adult sexual solicitation”.

It added: “We have these standards to help keep people safe.

“If your content goes against our community standards again, your account may be restricted or disabled.”

Facebook later reversed the decision, however, after Councillor Dixon complained.

In another screenshot he posted, the company said: “We’re sorry that we got this wrong.

“We’ve reviewed your post again and it does follow our community standards.”

Speaking afterwards, Councillor Dixon said: “When I first saw the message I thought I’d been hacked!

“Then I looked into it and realised it had just been a misunderstanding.

“I didn’t understand what might have triggered it. I don’t know if gullies has another meaning in America.

“Anyway I appealed it and it came back on. It was all quite amusing really.”

Asked by one Facebook follower if “blocked gullies” was a euphemism, Councillor Dixon replied: “I daren’t Google it.”