In August, Instagram banned a bunch of hashtags related to dangerous actions, profanity, sex, or sexy bodies.
Then, who knows why, they just brought a bunch of those smutty, porny, obscene hashtags back. So feel free to jazz up your posts with topics like #fuckfriday, #bitchcanigetacosmo, and #winterfuckoff. Just #live #it #the #fuck #up.
Instagram has also lessened its restriction on content related to eating disorders and self-harm. #Thinspo is now searchable, although it comes with a content advisory warning and a link to the National Eating Disorders Association.
Comparing the list of words that are banned and words that aren’t, the most obvious and simplest versions of each subject usually remain banned. For example, #boobimplants and #boobz are now allowed, while the arguably more mature tags of #boob, #boobies, #boobs, #bra, #breasts, and #cleavage remain banned. What is it about #underboob that makes it more acceptable than #sideboob? According to the new list, #tipsydumbcunt is apparently okay; #cunt is not. While #fuck and #sex and #sexy are still verboten, there are over 50 various of fuckery allowed (like #fucker and #fuckbitches and #jamesmotherfuckingfranco).
The Data Pack reports that the way Instagram’s ban worked the first time, individual words were unsearchable, which meant that relatively innocent searches (like #foodorgasm or presumably #thesexpistols or #jamesmotherfuckingfranco) did not turn up. Thus, this most recent change.
But why backtrack on subjects like #thinspo or #underboob? Perhaps Instagram hopes that by banning some of the most obvious (or most offensive) types of tags, they can achieve a middle ground between a clean photo platform and all the smuttiness demanded by some of the viewing public.
Or perhaps Instagram is just aiming to create a secret underground network of only #underboobs and #sexyboys and #faketits, or just requesting some creativity with your porny profanity. #B00B5 all day.
