Pornhub Denounces Renewed Censorship of Instagram Account

Pornhub Denounces Renewed Censorship of Instagram Account

MONTREAL — Pornhub released a statement denouncing the arbitrary censorship of its Instagram account, after it was briefly reactivated for a few hours yesterday before being shut down again.

“Within hours of reinstating our Instagram account, Meta has demonstrated that its policies have no rhyme or reason when they deactivated our account again, despite not violating any guidelines,” a Pornhub rep told Variety. “This comes at a time of increased censorship and discrimination against performers in the adult space, when platforms like Instagram should be inclusive and provide safe communities for creators to express themselves.”

Instead, the statement continued Meta and Instagram’s “haphazard and irrational enforcement of their policies place undue hardships on the livelihoods of those in the adult industry, an already marginalized group.”

The company called on Meta to “once again reverse its decision” to permanently ban Pornhub’s social media accounts on its platforms, first effected in Sept. 2022.

After yesterday’s activation and deactivation of Pornhub’s account — which has almost 13 million followers — a Meta spokesperson told Variety that it had been “done in error. As we’ve said previously, we permanently disabled this Instagram account for repeatedly violating our policies.”

Meta claims that Pornhub flouted its ban on “sexual solicitation” for over a decade, and also disabled a second account that Pornhub attempted to create after the permanent ban.

Meta and Instagram’s loosely defined concept “sexual solicitation” — borrowed from archaic anti-sex work laws and imprecisely adapted to the online space by terms of service drafters — has been sharply criticized by the company’s own Oversight Board last month.

As XBIZ reported, the Oversight Board recommended that Meta “clarify its public-facing Sexual Solicitation policy and narrow its internal enforcement guidance.”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Age Verification Watch: Patching the Holes

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Pineapple Support to Host Autism Spectrum Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group for performers and creators who are, or suspect they may be, on the autism spectrum.

ImLive Launches Revamped Member Loyalty Program

Cam platform ImLive has revamped its member loyalty program.

GoFundMe Set Up for Danny Ferretti's Medical Expenses

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Fangear founder Danny Ferretti, who requires extensive lung surgery.

Byborg Acquires Cuties AI

Byborg Enterprises has acquired adult artificial intelligence startup Cuties AI.

Irish Government Releases Report on Sex Work Decriminalization Legislation

The Irish government has released a report reviewing a 2017 law that decriminalized sex work across the country.

Texas Bill Would Require Age Verification for Online Sex Toy Sales

A new bill in the Texas state legislature would require online retailers to implement age verification of purchasers before selling “obscene devices” to anyone in that state.

New York Assemblyman Proposes Banning the Term 'Sex Work'

Republican New York Assembly Member Brian Maher has introduced a bill to prohibit the use of the term "sex work" in government documents.

Age Verification Watch: Michigan Joins the AV Club, Some Laws Just Make No Sense

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Free Speech Groups Back SCOTUS Appeal of Georgia Strip Club Tax

Two civil liberties organizations filed an amicus brief Tuesday supporting a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal in a case involving whether a tax specifically aimed at adult entertainment establishments violates the First Amendment.

Show More