Instagram and its parent company Facebook have updated their nudity policy following a campaign against the censorship of plus-size black women. The change comes after the Observer exclusively reported that the platform repeatedly deleted photos of model Nyome Nicholas-Williams, sparking accusations of discrimination.
Nicholas-Williams, a plus-size model, had her images removed from Instagram in August, with warnings that her account could be shut down. The photos, taken by Alexandra Cameron, showed the model with her eyes closed and an arm wrapped around her breasts—a common pose on social media. Instagram initially cited its policy on “breast squeezing,” which it said was associated with pornography.
The controversy led to a global backlash, with users posting under the hashtag #IWantToSeeNyome. Critics accused the platform of hypocrisy, noting that similar photos of thin, white women were allowed. Nicholas-Williams said she was “shocked that a fat black woman celebrating her body is banned.”
Instagram acknowledged the policy was not being correctly applied. A spokesperson said: “Hearing Nyome’s feedback helped us understand where this policy was falling short.” The updated policy will apply across both platforms and take effect this week.
Campaigner Gina Martin, who previously helped criminalise upskirting, praised the change as an example of effective activism. Nicholas-Williams said she was “delighted” with the outcome, adding: “I want to be respected and allowed to use spaces like Instagram without the worry of being censored.”
