Instagram Shadow Bans: A Brief History
While Instagram most recently addressed shadowbanning in August 2023, here’s everything the app has said about it since 2018:
2018: Instagram Denies Shadow Banning
In 2018, Instagram’s team claimed: “Shadow banning is not a real thing,” and stated that they do not hide people’s content for posting too many hashtags or taking other actions.
2019: Instagram Clarifies Explore Page Ranking
In 2019, Instagram acknowledged that posts categorized as “inappropriate for our international community” would not be featured on the Instagram Explore Page — even if they were within Instagram’s Community Guidelines:
Image Source: Instagram Help Page
“We strive to ensure that the content we recommend is both safe and appropriate for our community. We are therefore stricter on the content offered in the Explore section and on hashtag pages.”
2020: Adam Mosseri Addresses “Shadow Banned” Black Creators
In 2020, Instagram’s Adam Mosseri addressed shadow banning in response to concerns that Black voices were being silenced on the platform.
In an effort to ensure Instagram is a place where everyone feels free to express themselves, Mosseri shared steps they were taking to improve users’ experiences:
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Reviewing how content is filtered on Explore and Hashtag pages
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Diving deeper into algorithmic bias and how it may affect Instagram’s products
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Releasing more information about the type of content to avoid on the platform
2020: Instagram Updates its Nudity Policy
in 2020, Instagram updated its nudity policy in response to the #IWantToSeeNyome campaign.
The campaign, which was created after a semi-nude image of model Nyome Nicholas-Williams was repeatedly taken down, aimed to draw attention to the double standard regarding Instagram’s nudity policy.
However, as Nyome and others continue to fight for body autonomy on social media in 2023, policies like these could be due for a refresh.
2021: Instagram Introduces Account Status Feature
In 2021, Mosseri wrote: “We haven’t always done enough to explain why we take down content when we do, what is recommendable and what isn’t, and how Instagram works more broadly.”
And keeping to their word, Instagram released the Account Status feature:
With it, users can see if their posts have been taken down, flag if they disagree with Instagram’s decision, and learn what to do next.
Plus, creator and business profiles can see if their account is eligible to appear in Search or as a suggested account.
TIP: To check your status, go to Settings and scroll down to Account Status under the “More info and support” section.
2023: Mosseri Shares Update on Shadow Banning
In 2023, Mosseri said, “It’s in our interest as a business to ensure that creators are able to reach their audiences and get discovered so they can continue to grow and thrive on Instagram.”
In addition to the Account Status feature, he says Instagram is experimenting with new notifications to tell creators when their reach may be limited due watermarks.
2025: Mosseri Continues Shadow Ban Updates
In February 2025, Mosseri doubled down on his explanation of shadow banning as a result of trying to maximize reach for creators, saying, “In connected ranking, we do not limit reach. We want to make sure that as much of your content reaches as many of your followers as are interested in it. We do make some mistakes, but we’re trying our best.”
We’ll keep you posted.
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