Policy Rationale
We restrict the display of nudity or sexual activity. Additionally, we default to removing sexual imagery to prevent the sharing of non-consensual or underage content. Restrictions on the display of sexual activity also apply to digitally created content unless it is posted for educational, humorous, or satirical purposes.
We understand that nudity can be shared for a variety of reasons, including as a form of protest, to raise awareness about a cause, or for educational or medical reasons. Where such intent is clear, we make allowances for the content. For example, while we restrict some images of female breasts that include the nipple, we allow other images, including those depicting acts of protest, women actively engaged in breast-feeding, and photos of post-mastectomy scarring. We also allow photographs of paintings, sculptures, and other art that depicts nude figures.
We also restrict sexually explicit words that may lead to solicitation because some users in our community may be sensitive to this type of content and it may impede the ability for people to connect with their friends and the broader community. To avoid facilitating transactions that involve trafficking, coercion and non-consensual sexual acts, we draw the line when content facilitates, encourages or coordinates sexual encounters or commercial sexual services between adults such as prostitution or escort services.
Do not post:
Images, videos of:
- Real nude adults, where nudity is defined as:
- Visible genitalia except in the context of birth giving and after-birth moments or health-related situations (for example, gender confirmation surgery, examination for cancer or disease prevention/assessment);
- Visible anus and/or fully nude close-ups of buttocks unless photoshopped on a public figure;
- Uncovered female nipples except 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.
- Sexual activity, including:
- Sexual intercourse:
- Explicit sexual intercourse, defined as mouth or genitals entering or in contact with another person's genitals or anus, where at least one person's genitals are nude;
- Implied sexual intercourse, defined as mouth or genitals entering or in contact with another person's genitals or anus, even when the contact is not directly visible, except in cases of a sexual health context, advertisements, and recognized fictional images or with indicators of fiction;
- Implied stimulation of genitalia/anus, defined as stimulating genitalia/anus or inserting objects into genitalia/anus, even when the activity is not directly visible, except in cases of sexual health context, advertisements, and recognized fictional images or with indicators of fiction;
- Fetish content that involves:
- Acts that are likely to lead to the death of a person or animal;
- Dismemberment;
- Cannibalism;
- Feces, urine, spit, snot, menstruation, or vomit.
- Other sexual activities including (but not limited to):
- Erections;
- Presence of by-products of sexual activity;
- Stimulating genitals or anus, even if above or under clothing;
- Use of sex toys, even if above or under clothing;
- Stimulation of naked human nipples;
- Squeezing female breast except in breastfeeding context.
Digital content that meets our definition of sexual activity unless any of the following conditions exist:
- Content was posted in a satirical or humorous context;
- Content was posted in an educational or scientific context;
- Imagery is not sufficiently detailed and only body shapes or contours are visible;
- Content that complies with the definition of implied sexual activity.
Pornography speech, defined as a descriptive speech beyond referring to:
- Aphrodisiac state (wetness or erection);
- Sexual intercourse or sexual activity (sexual penetration, self-pleasuring or exercising fetish scenarios) unless it posted for educational, humorous, or satirical purposes.
Content that coordinates adult commercial sexual services or prostitution activities, such as requesting, offering or asking for rates for escort services and paid sexual fetish or domination services.
Content that asks for the provision of pornographic material (including but not limited to, sharing of links to external pornographic websites)
Content that shows explicit sexual solicitation by, including but not limited to offering or asking for:
- Sex or sexual partners
- Sex chat or conversations
- Nude photos/videos/imagery
Content that is indirectly or implicitly offering or asking for sexual solicitation and meets both of the following criteria. If both criteria are not met, it is not deemed to be violating. For example, if content is a hand-drawn image depicting sexual activity but does not ask or offer sexual solicitation, it is not violating:
- Criterion 1: Offer or ask
- Content implicitly or indirectly (typically through providing a method of contact) offers or asks for sexual solicitation.
- Criterion 2: Suggestive elements:
- Content makes the aforementioned offer or ask using one of the following sexually suggestive elements:
- Contextually specific and commonly sexual emojis or emoji strings, or
- Regional sexualised slang, or
- Mentions or depictions of sexual activity (including hand-drawn, digital or real-world art) such as: sexual roles, sex positions, fetish scenarios, state of arousal, act of sexual intercourse or activity (sexual penetration or self-pleasuring), or
- Poses.