The Irish Prison Service (IPS) asked Facebook to review a controversial online group for serving and former prison officers saying they had concerns about a risk “to the privacy of people in our custody”.
Emails to the social media giant reveal how the Prison Service flagged three offensive posts and a video upload from the page “Irish Jailers, Warders, and Buckets”.
Facebook said it appeared as if some of the offending posts had been removed but that one – which made a reference to travellers – did not “violate [Facebook] community standards”.
The Irish Prison Service also flagged concerns over video footage which they understood had at one stage appeared on the group.
An email to Facebook said: “It is also alleged that a video that appears to be shot within an Irish prison has been uploaded to the page and apparently shows a prisoner in a cell with some sort of ‘leash’ around his neck.
“I would be grateful for a review of these posts as they also pose a potential risk to the privacy of people in our custody,” said one email.