Pornhub asks Instagram why sex workers can’t post images of ‘ass’, but Kim Kardashian can in open letter

Pornhub has reproached Instagram for “unfairly” lodging rules and bans on suggestive content against sex workers and performers on its platform.

It was last night revealed that PornHub’s Instagram account was permanently removed from the platform for repeatedly violating parent company Meta’s policies.

Earlier this month, the social media giant removed Pornhub’s official account following pressure from conservative anti-pornography groups.

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) said in a statement that it has been working with a group of international advocates and sharing evidence of “criminality” on Pornhub with Instagram, requesting that the Meta-owned company remove Pornhub.

On Tuesday, a Meta spokesperson told Vice that Pornhub’s Instagram account had been “permanently disabled” for “repeatedly violating” the platform’s policies, but did not go as far to specify exactly what rules had been breached.

In retort, Pornhub has accused Meta of having a double-standard when it comes to its policies regarding the sharing of nude images online, citing sultry images shared by Kim Kardashian.

In an open letter to Meta, Pornhub claimed that sex workers and adult entertainers “have for years been undermined by Instagram’s opaque, discriminatory and hypocritical enforcement of its own terms and policies.”

“Sex workers and performers have been unfairly targeted in the form of bans, shadow bans, suspensions, loss of Live privileges and content removal, despite taking extra care not to violate Instagram’s Community Guidelines,” it reads.

“We demand an explanation and guidance as to why our accounts are continuously deleted, and why content we spend money creating in order to engage with our audience is removed, even when we do not breach any of Instagram’s rules.”

Pornhub bolstered its claim by raising a series of images shared by Kardashian on 6 September, which included her cover shoot for Interview Magazine’s September 2022 issue.

“Kim Kardashian has posted her fully exposed ass to her 330 million followers without any restrictive action from Instagram,” the letter continues.

“We are happy to see that Kim and the artistic team behind the image are free to share their work on the platform, but question why we are denied the same treatment.”

Pornhub concluded its letter by urging Meta to provide “full transparency and clear explanations for any suspended or banned accounts, end shadow banning practices”, and to reinstate all accounts that have not infringed on its rules.

The open letter was signed by the Free Speech Coalition, the Adult Performance Artists guild and 60 entertainers.

According to Instagram’s community guidelines, Meta acknowledges users “might want to share nude images that are artistic or creative in nature, but for a variety of reasons, we don’t allow nudity on Instagram.

“This includes photos, videos, and some digitally-created content that show sexual intercourse, genitals, and close-ups of fully-nude buttocks.

“It also includes some photos of female nipples, but photos in the context of breastfeeding, birth giving and after-birth moments, health-related situations or an act of protest are allowed.”