Instagram warning for millions as popular feature could get you banned from app

INSTAGRAM users may want to be careful if they’re planning on posting any racy content, even if their account or stories are set to private.

According to Mashable, a spokesperson from Meta, which owns Instagram, has revealed that your ‘Close Friends posts’ aren’t as private as you think they are.

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Meta spokesperson Stephanie Otway reportedly said that Instagram uses “both proactive technology and reports from the community to find and remove content that contains nudity”.

She added that 94.3 percent of nude content is found and removed even if it’s not reported to Instagram.

This means if you’re posting racy content on your Close Friends stories, it could still be taken down even if you think only certain people can see it.

Posting nude or explicit content on Instagram can also result in your account being banned.

Your Close Friends list may consent to see the content but Instagram still won’t allow it.

Its guidelines state: “We know that there are times when people 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 (for example, post-mastectomy, breast cancer awareness or gender confirmation surgery) or an act of protest are allowed.

“Nudity in photos of paintings and sculptures is OK too.”

Despite the rules, some OnlyFans creators have been known to use Close Friends stories for explicit content.

There’s even been calls for Instagram to allow this content.

However, the app is very clear about the rules.

It says: “We’re committed to these guidelines and we hope you are too. Overstepping these boundaries may result in deleted content, disabled accounts or other restrictions.”