Dating site owner feels 'guilty' for using Parsons' pic
By Kristy Brownlee, QMI Agency
The owner of an online dating company says he shut down his website after he mistakenly used a photo of Rehtaeh Parsons — a bullied Nova Scotia teen who killed herself — in an ad on Facebook.
Anh Dung of Vietnam, the owner of ionechat.com, said in an e-mail Wednesday that he found the photo of Parsons on Google images and wasn't aware of her story.
On Tuesday, Andrew Ennals of Toronto alerted Facebook that an ad featured the photo of the dead Cole Harbour teen. He also tweeted two versions of the ad featuring different photos of Parsons.
Andrew Ennals @andrewennals
Supreme bad taste: a dating site's Facebook ad is using a picture of Rehteah Parsons. pic.twitter.com/nbYhRFr5Mc
3:45 PM - 17 Sep 2013
"I feel so guilty when I think of it and I don't want to run it anymore," Dung said of the site.
In a statement e-mailed Wednesday morning, Facebook said the ad is a "gross violation of our ad policies and we have removed the ad and permanently deleted the advertiser's account."
"We apologize for any harm this has caused."
Parsons, 17, was taken off life-support on April 7, days after trying to hang herself. Her family said she was bullied by other students after photos of her allegedly being sexually assaulted were spread around.
Parsons' father Glen Canning posted a screengrab of the offending ad on his daughter's Facebook tribute page Tuesday.
Canning thanked Ennals for spreading the word and notifying Facebook about the ad.
Glen Canning @GlenfordCanning
@andrewennals Thank you for publishing this information. I appreciate it very much and am glad it’s been removed.
Andrew Ennals @andrewennals
@GlenfordCanning Sorry you had to go through this at all. The response shows that Canadians still care. Wish you & your family all the best.
11:10 PM - 17 Sep 2013
Dating website owner feels 'guilty' for using Rehtaeh Parsons' pic in Facebook ad | Canada | News | Winnipeg Sun
By Kristy Brownlee, QMI Agency
The owner of an online dating company says he shut down his website after he mistakenly used a photo of Rehtaeh Parsons — a bullied Nova Scotia teen who killed herself — in an ad on Facebook.
Anh Dung of Vietnam, the owner of ionechat.com, said in an e-mail Wednesday that he found the photo of Parsons on Google images and wasn't aware of her story.
On Tuesday, Andrew Ennals of Toronto alerted Facebook that an ad featured the photo of the dead Cole Harbour teen. He also tweeted two versions of the ad featuring different photos of Parsons.
Andrew Ennals @andrewennals
Supreme bad taste: a dating site's Facebook ad is using a picture of Rehteah Parsons. pic.twitter.com/nbYhRFr5Mc
3:45 PM - 17 Sep 2013
"I feel so guilty when I think of it and I don't want to run it anymore," Dung said of the site.
In a statement e-mailed Wednesday morning, Facebook said the ad is a "gross violation of our ad policies and we have removed the ad and permanently deleted the advertiser's account."
"We apologize for any harm this has caused."
Parsons, 17, was taken off life-support on April 7, days after trying to hang herself. Her family said she was bullied by other students after photos of her allegedly being sexually assaulted were spread around.
Parsons' father Glen Canning posted a screengrab of the offending ad on his daughter's Facebook tribute page Tuesday.
Canning thanked Ennals for spreading the word and notifying Facebook about the ad.
Glen Canning @GlenfordCanning
@andrewennals Thank you for publishing this information. I appreciate it very much and am glad it’s been removed.
Andrew Ennals @andrewennals @GlenfordCanning Sorry you had to go through this at all. The response shows that Canadians still care. Wish you & your family all the best.
11:10 PM - 17 Sep 2013
