Instagram is in the firing line after the social media platform repeatedly removed pictures of plus-sized model, Nyome Nicholas-Williams.
The artistic portraits captured by photographer Alexandra Cameron and Nicholas-Williams’ posts were removed after Instagram flagged them for “nudity or sexual activity,” which goes against their community guidelines.
In the images, Nicholas-Williams sits on a stool with her arms covering her bare upper body.
The removal of the images triggered a social media backlash. Fans stood in solidarity with Nicolas-Williams, and the hashtag #iwanttoseenyome trended online. Instagram later walked back on their decision — but not publicly. Nicolas-Williams feels she is owed a public apology from the social media giant.
“It took me a long time to be comfortable and confident in my frame. I will not be policed my body will not be censored as there is not a single thing wrong with it,” she writes.
“Okay great Instagram has put @alex_cameron and I’s picture back up as they knew they made a mistake but I am getting so many messages from my followers letting me know that they still cannot post up the images in support with the hashtag #iwanttoseenyome
“I very much believe that an apology has to be as loud as the disrespect. It’s all well and good putting my image back up but why do you continually take them down from everyone else’s stories and grid when support wants to be given so that CHANGE can be implemented?”
The issue is not new to Instagram. In June, CEO Adam Mosseri said that his platform was “hearing concerns” about whether they “suppress Black voices and whether our products and policies treat everyone equally.”
The answer it seems, it still “yes.”
