Instagram has permanently banned Pornhub from holding an account on the social media platform.
The pornography site’s account was banned a few weeks ago, but Meta, the parent company for Instagram, confirmed that Pornhub would not be allowed back this week.
A Meta spokesperson told Motherboard they “permanently disabled this Instagram account for repeatedly violating our policies.”
Instagram is a social media account where users share photos and videos.
Before Pornhub’s account was removed from Instagram on September 3, it was verified with a blue checkmark and had 13.1 million followers and more than 6,200 posts, according to Fight The New Drug, a registered non-profit.
Pornhub is still active on Twitter and YouTube.
The ban comes one month after Visa and Mastercard cut off payment privileges of TrafficJunky, the advertising arm of Pornhub’s parent company MindGeek. In July, a federal court rejected Visa’s request to be removed from a case in which MindGeek is being sued for allegedly distributing child pornography. The cases alleges that Visa knowingly facilitated MindGeek’s ability to monetize the illegal content, Variety reports.
A December 2020 New York Times investigative op-ed, titled “The Children of Pornhub,” gives evidence and survivor stories that reveal how Pornhub and MindGeek have allegedly profited from child exploitation.
Conservative MP Arnold Viersen, who’s been working to hold Pornhub to account for its alleged distribution of child porn, applauded the move on Twitter.
“Great news,” he wrote. “Well done Instagram. #endexploitation.”
Ahead of its permanent ban, Pornhub posted an open letter to Instagram demanding an explanation for why its account, which featured adult content creators, was removed from the platform.
Instagram says terms of service violations accrued on Pornhub’s account for ten years despite repeated warnings. The social media platform pointed to its terms regarding adult content, nudity, and sexual solicitation.
Pornhub’s Instagram account included suggestive but non-explicit videos and images that linked back to its pornographic website.
