Instagram said these LGBT-inclusive ads were for escort services
One of the Salty adverts banned for promoting “escort services.” (salty.world/ Instagram)
Adverts featuring trans and non-binary people of colour for an inclusive newsletter and online publication were rejected by Instagram and flagged as being for “escort services.”
The Twitter thread posted on July 9 by publication Salty, which is aimed at women, trans and non-binary people, posted the adverts that were taken down for violating Instagram’s terms of service, but none of the models were sex workers.
Salty wrote in an Instagram post: “Unlike other big brands and media outlets, Salty is unable to advertise on Instagram or Facebook because the algorithms assume that Salty is “promoting escort services”…
“People, this is a FOSTA/SESTA in action. There are biases and assumptions built into the algorithms that are designed to silence us.
“It is no coincidence that these images include incredible, empowered POCs, non binary, disabled and plus sized bodies – and are the most highly regulated.
“Digital products that are designed to empower women, trans and non binary people (like our newsletter) are discriminated against in marketing and advertising policies online, in the software that we use and in the real world too.”
Salty posted a Twitter thread showing the adverts that were rejected by Instagram for promoting “escort services.” (Saltyworldbabes/ Twitter)
The advertisements were also banned on Facebook, but according to a tweet from Salty, they have now been approved and the publication will meet with Facebook “to discuss updating the nudity advertising policies that affect billions of businesses and bodies worldwide.”
Instagram told Rolling Stone in a statement: “Every week, we review thousands of ads — and at times we make mistakes. We made mistakes here, and we apologise to Salty. We have reinstated the ads, and will continue to investigate this case to prevent it from happening again.”
This image showing two trans women was flagged for promoting “escort services.” (salty.world/ Instagram)
This is not the first time the social media platforms have been under fire for flagging artistic content for violating terms of service.
Last month, nude protesters gathered outside the Instagram and Facebook headquarters in New York on to demonstrate against the censorship of artistic nudity.
