Facebook took down a video of a woman being beheaded in a turnaround of the company's previous decision to allow graphic content for free expression, ABC News reported.

The site enforced a temporary ban on violence back in May, but quietly lifted the ban over the summer based on the argument that users could upload the content to condemn rather than glorify it.

But the video, which shows a brutal decapitation in Mexico, was removed Tuesday evening.

"We took down the video. We're trying to strengthen how we enforce the policies we already have on graphic videos," Facebook spokesman Matt Steinfeld told ABC News. "It's not a reversal on our policy; we'll still allow graphic violence on the site if it's condemning. We're just going to look at a broader set of factors: where does the video come from, how is it being shared, does the user have warnings that it's graphic content, etc."

Facebook had allowed the video to remain on the site since the company believed the content was shared for an educational purpose and not in a sadistic manner.

In the future, the social networking site said it plans to ensure users include a warning for graphic videos.

"As part of our effort to combat the glorification of violence on Facebook, we are strengthening the enforcement of our policies," said an official statement from Facebook.

The video, which sparked controversy while it was temporarily allowed, was purportedly flagged for violating Facebook's new, more detailed standards for violent content.

"Based on these enhanced standards, we have re-examined recent reports of graphic content and have concluded that this content improperly and irresponsibly glorifies violence," the company stated. "For this reason, we have removed it."

A UK member of Facebook's Safety Advisory Board told BBC News he still had concerns despite the addition of the warnings.

"It's a step forward but it's still horrific content," said Will Gardner, chief executive of Childnet.

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