As most have noticed, Instagram has altered its algorithm in the last year or so, but shadow banning is something completely different. Shadow banning can be described as an account’s hashtags, username or posts being undiscoverable from Instagram’s explore page or the search bar. Instagram does this to pages whose content they find inappropriate, but they do not necessarily violate the guidelines of the app. Accounts who post sexually suggestive content and accounts who are frequently reported for inappropriate content are those who are typically affected by shadow banning. The content of those accounts who have been shadow banned is a clear indication of what Instagram does and doesn’t approve of.
The popular podcast Call Her Daddy is one account that has been affected by Instagram’s shadow ban. For those who are not familiar with the show, Call Her Daddy covers all things sex and dating without any censoring. The hosts of the show were unaware of the shadow ban until a listener contacted them saying when they searched the account name in the app’s search bar, @callherdaddy didn’t show up, even though they followed the account. After realizing, Call Her Daddy spoke about it in their upcoming episode. Essentially, the girls stated that it was most likely due to the fact that Instagram did not agree with the topics they covered, but they decided to dust it off their shoulders. After several complaints, posts and the hosts speaking about it in an episode, Instagram seems to have lifted the shadow ban.
In April of 2019, Instagram released a statement regarding the content that is recommended to their users. Instagram explicitly stated that content which did not go against the community guidelines but was seen as inappropriate, may not show up on a user’s explore page. They did, however, say that if a user already followed accounts with sexual material, the content should still show up in the Explore and hashtag pages. What Instagram did not include in their statement was that users would have trouble searching for accounts who shared sexually suggestive content.
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Although Instagram does not agree with everything certain accounts posts, are those grounds for regulating how accessible their content is? In regards to freedom of speech, Instagram is not necessarily infringing on the rights given by the First Amendment. Instagram keeps its guidelines vague by stating that any content displaying any genitalia, sexual intercourse or close-ups of a fully nude buttocks. Artistic illustrations are also included under these guidelines. By rule, this means that if someone were to share Henri Matisse’s Blue Nude painted in 1907, their post would be immediately taken down. Content that falls under the vague area of the guidelines is what is typically shadow banned. Allow there are no legal concerns, this censorship that is implemented simply because some people do not approve is concerning in many different aspects. If franchisees have the ability to influence what we do not see, it makes you wonder how many things social media influences us to see in terms of political campaigns or agendas.
(To learn more about the positives of shadowbanning click here)
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Edited by Madison Greer