Cover of University of Otago's Critic magazine banned from Facebook within minutes

Cover of University of Otago's Critic magazine banned from Facebook within minutes
Photo credit: Twitter/Critic

The University of Otago's student magazine has been banned from posting and commenting on Facebook for 24 hours after it uploaded an image of the newest issue's cover.

Critic's first issue of 2020 came out on Sunday and the cover features a naked bum stuffed with cigarettes

The cover appears to be inspired by a feature story in the issue about how many half-smoked cigarettes the magazine's culture editor could find dumped on Castle St after a night of student parties.

After posting the magazine's cover to Facebook to promote the issue, the site was quick to take it down.

"First issue of the year, censored by Facebook in six minutes. Damn," Critic tweeted.

"We've been banned from posting for 24 hours RIP."

The magazine's uncensored cover was taken down by Facebook in six minutes.
The magazine's uncensored cover was taken down by Facebook in six minutes. Photo credit: Twitter/Critic

Critic reposted the image to Facebook after it was taken down, but this time covered the bum with an image of a cartoon sun.

When a commenter asked how it managed to post to Facebook again, the magazine says it found a loophole.

"The editor made the first post and got blocked from posting, so a different staff member made this post."

Another commenter asked how long it would be until the university censored it, referencing an incident in 2018 where an issue on menstruation with a cover showing a cartoon naked woman was removed from campus.

"I wonder if arses might be less offensive than vaginas. Hmmmm," the commenter wrote.

Many of the comments supported Critic's cover, with one person saying the magazine is "starting the year in good form".