Instagram censorship crackdown sparks alarm among LGBTQ+ creators

Meta is defending itself against claims of overzealous censorship of LGBTQ+ and sexual health-related content on its platforms.

The company faced renewed criticism after Instagram banned the account of sex toy retailer Bellesa Boutique, the latest in a string of controversies involving the moderation of queer and sexual wellness content, Mashable reports. In response, a Meta spokesperson pointed reporters to the company’s policies on sexual solicitation.

"Every organization and individual on our platforms is subject to the same set of rules, and any claims of enforcement based on group affiliation or advocacy are baseless. We also give people the opportunity to appeal decisions if they think we’ve got it wrong,” a Meta spokesperson told Mashable.

Related: Meta mishandled lesbian content on Instagram

Related: LGBTQ+ people’s safety has plummeted across social media platforms: report

A prominent LGBTQ+ public figure also told The Advocate they are increasingly concerned that queer creators and LGBTQ+ content may be getting suppressed by platform algorithms, even when posts do not explicitly violate content policies. The person who spoke in a private conversation about fears of retaliation or reduced online visibility said concerns about moderation and algorithmic suppression have become widespread among queer influencers and advocates.

Critics say Instagram’s moderation policies, which many users believe have become increasingly aggressive, disproportionately impact LGBTQ+ creators and sexual health educators. Repro Uncensored, a group that tracks online censorship related to reproductive and sexual health content, said it documented the suspension of more than 100 queer and creative accounts in April alone.

“These cases demonstrate a broader pattern affecting queer communities, women’s and sexual health content, artists, cultural spaces, and even music festivals,” the organization said in a statement. “These accounts function as arteries of community and infrastructure. They are spaces where people share vital healthcare and sexual information, organize, create, and stay connected, and where communities actively shape participatory democracies.”

The removal of Bellesa Boutique’s Instagram account drew particular backlash because the page served more than 700,000 followers, many of them women and LGBTQ+ users, and frequently shared frank discussions about sexual wellness and health.

Meta, however, told Mashable that the account violated the platform’s solicitation policies on more than three occasions. Regarding the broader list of accounts flagged by Repro Uncensored, including 51 identified in a viral Instagram post, Meta said most are now active again and posting content. The company also said three of the listed accounts did not exist.

Related: Mark Zuckerberg’s new Meta policies okay using dehumanizing slurs toward LGBTQ+ people

Related: What LGBTQ+ people should know about Meta’s new rules

The spokesperson acknowledged that some accounts have historically been suspended in error before being quickly reinstated. Users who believe their accounts were wrongly penalized can appeal moderation decisions through the platform.

The controversy comes after Meta’s independent Oversight Board recently ruled that Instagram wrongly removed a post from a Brazil-based account celebrating lesbian visibility.

Concerns about LGBTQ+ content being disproportionately targeted by social media moderation systems are not new. In 2017, YouTube faced backlash over its restricted mode filtering LGBTQ+ videos, prompting changes after widespread online criticism. Facebook, another Meta-owned platform, has also previously classified some LGBTQ+ advertising as political content.

Reports of increased moderation of LGBTQ+ content surfaced after Meta announced changes to its content moderation approach, including scaling back some policies aimed at limiting hateful and dehumanizing speech.