Policy rationale
We restrict the display of nudity or sexual activity because some people in our community may be sensitive to this type of content, particularly due to cultural background or age.
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 appropriate and 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 (sometimes labelled with a sensitive warning screen and age-based restrictions). We also allow real-world art that depicts nudity such as photographs of paintings, sculptures etc. (sometimes labelled with a sensitive warning screen and age-based restrictions). We default to removing sexual imagery to prevent the sharing of non-consensual or underage content.
Under this policy, we remove real photographs and videos of nudity and sexual activity, AI- or computer-generated images of nudity and sexual activity, and digital imagery, regardless of whether it looks "photorealistic" (as in, it looks like a real person). As noted above, we also make careful allowances for real world art and certain medical, educational and awareness-raising content, and these are detailed in the policy.
We do not allow the following content for all users:
Adult nudity
Photorealistic/digital imagery of adult nudity, if it depicts:
Visible genitalia (including when obscured by pubic hair or digital overlays)
Visible anuses and/or close-ups of visible buttocks
Visible female nipples, except in a breastfeeding or act of protest context
Photorealistic/digital videos that focus on crotch, female breasts or buttocks recorded without the awareness of the person(s) depicted in them
Note that with some restrictions, we may allow depictions of adult nudity in additional special contexts, such as medical or health contexts. This is covered in greater detail in the sections below.
Adult sexual activity
Photorealistic/digital imagery of adult sexual activity, including:
Explicit sexual activity or stimulation:
Explicit sexual intercourse or oral sex, as indicated by a person's mouth or genitals entering or in contact with another person's genitals or anus, or genitals placed upon or inserted into a sex toy, when at least one person's genitals or anus is visible
Explicit stimulation of a person's genitals or anus, as indicated by stimulation, or the insertion of sex toys into the person's genitals or anus, when the contact with the genitals or anus is directly visible
Implicit sexual activity or stimulation:
Implicit sexual intercourse or oral sex, as indicated by a person's mouth or genitals entering or in contact with another person's genitals or anus, when the genitals or anus and/or the entry or contact is not directly visible
Implicit stimulation of a person's genitals or anus, as indicated by stimulation, or the placement of sex toys above or insertion of sex toys into the person's genitals or anus, or genitals placed upon or inserted into a sex toy, when the genitals or anus, stimulation, placement and/or insertion is not directly visible
Impending sexual activity, as indicated by positions which suggest contact is about to be initiated between a person's hand, mouth or genitals with another person's genitals or anus.
Other sexual activity or stimulation:
Erections
Presence of by-products of sexual activity
Sex toys placed upon or inserted into mouth
Stimulation of visible human nipples
Squeezing female breasts, defined as a grabbing motion with curved fingers that shows both marks and clear shape change of the breasts. We allow squeezing in breastfeeding contexts.
Photorealistic/digital imagery or real-world art depicting fetish that involves the following:
Acts that are likely to lead to the death of a person or animal
Dismemberment
Cannibalism
Feces, urine, spit, snot, menstruation or vomit
Bestiality
Incest
BDSM (bondage and discipline, domination and submission, sadism and masochism), only when sexual indicators are also present
Photorealistic imagery of explicit sexual activity or stimulation in a medical or health context
Extended audio of sexual activity
Note that with some restrictions, we may allow depictions of sexual activity in special contexts, such as medical or health contexts. This is covered in greater detail in the sections below.
For the following content, we limit the ability to view the content to users aged 18 and older, and include a label so that people are aware that the content may be sensitive:
Digital imagery and real-world art of explicit sexual activity or stimulation in a medical or health context
Photorealistic/digital imagery and real-world art of implicit or other sexual activity or stimulation in a medical or health context
Photorealistic/digital imagery and real-world art of visible genitalia, visible anuses, close-ups of visible buttocks or visible female nipples in the context of gender confirmation surgery
Real-world art of visible genitalia (including genitalia covered by digital overlay or obscurement and genitalia obscured by pubic hair only), visible anuses, close-ups of visible buttocks or visible female nipples, where the nudity is the focus of the image and not in a medical or health context
Photorealistic/digital imagery of visible genitalia (including genitalia covered by digital overlay or obscurement and genitalia obscured by pubic hair), close-ups of visible buttocks, visible anuses or visible female nipples, when shared in the context of famine, genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity
For the following content, we limit the ability to view the content to adults aged 18 and older:
Photorealistic/digital imagery depicting near nudity such as nudity covered only by digital overlay or an opaque object and certain instances of nudity obscured by see-through clothing
Photorealistic/digital imagery of persons where crotch, buttock or female breast(s) are the focus of the image
Photorealistic/digital imagery and real-world art of explicit, implicit or other sexual activity or stimulation when only body shapes or contours are visible
Real-world art, where
Imagery depicts implicit, explicit or other sexual activity or stimulation except when posted in a medical or health context
Imagery depicts bestiality, provided that it is shared neutrally or in condemnation and the people or animals depicted are not real.
Recognised fictional photorealistic imagery depicting implicit or other sexual activity or stimulation
Photorealistic/digital imagery and real-world art depicting:
Sex-related activity such as kissing with visible tongue and sexual or erotic dancing
Persons simulating sexual activity
Gestures that signify genitalia, masturbation, oral sex or sexual intercourse
Logos, screenshots or video clips of known pornographic websites
Content that contains audio of sexual activity
For the following content, we include a label so that people are aware that the content may be sensitive:
Photorealistic/digital imagery and real-world art depicting:
Visible genitalia (including genitalia covered by digital overlay or obscurement and genitalia obscured by pubic hair), close-ups of visible buttocks or visible anuses, when shared in a medical or health context. This can include, for example:
Birth-giving and after-birth-giving moments
Self-examination for cancer or other disease
Visible female nipples, when shared in a medical or health context (including mastectomy or cancer survivor tattoos)
For the following Community Standards, we require additional information and/or context to enforce:
In certain cases, we will allow content for aged 18 and older with a label that may otherwise violate the Community Standards when it has been determined that the content is satirical. Content will only be allowed if the violating elements of the content are being satirised or attributed to something or someone else in order to mock or criticise them.