Adult Nudity and Sexual Activity

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. We also allow photographs of paintings, sculptures and other art that depicts nude figures. We default to removing sexual imagery to prevent the sharing of non-consensual or underage content. Unless otherwise stated (such as ‘Real world art” and “Digital Imagery”), the Adult Nudity and Sexual Activity policy focuses on photorealistic imagery, which we define as an image or video that looks like a photograph or video of a real person (or event). Where it is unclear if an image or video is photorealistic, we presume that it is.

Content relating to child nudity is addressed in our Community Standard on Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Nudity.

• Imagery of adult nudity, if it depicts:
  • Visible genitalia except in medical or health context (for example, birth giving and after-birth moments, gender confirmation surgery, examination for cancer or other diseases)
  • Visible anuses and/or fully nude close-ups of buttocks unless photoshopped on a public figure
  • Uncovered female nipples, except in the context of breastfeeding, mastectomy, medical or health context (for example, birth giving and after-birth moments, gender confirmation surgery, examination for cancer or other diseases) or an act of protest
  • Note that we allow all the above in the context of famine, genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity
• Imagery of adult sexual activity, including:
  • Explicit sexual activity and 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, 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 and stimulation, except in medical, health or sexual wellness contexts; promotional content; and recognised fictional images or with indicators of fiction:
    • 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, when the genitals or anus, stimulation, placement, and/or insertion is not directly visible
  • Other sexual activities, except in medical or health context, promotional content, and recognised fictional images or with indicators of fiction:
    • 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.
  • Imagery depicting fetish 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
    • Bestiality
    • Incest
  • Digital imagery of adult sexual activity, except when posted in the context of medical awareness, scientific discourse or discussion of sexual health, or when it meets one of the criteria below and viewing is limited to adults, ages 18 years or older.
• Extended audio of sexual activity

• Imagery of visible adult male and female genitalia, fully nude close-ups of buttocks, or visible anuses, or what would otherwise qualify as implicit/other sexual activity or stimulation, when shared in medical or health context. This can include, for example:

• Birth-giving and after-birth giving moments
• Gender confirmation surgery
• Self-examination for cancer or other disease

• Imagery of implicit sexual activity or stimulation in sexual wellness context

• Real-world art, where

• Imagery depicts implicit, explicit, or other sexual activity or stimulation
• Imagery depicts bestiality, provided it is shared neutrally or in condemnation and the people or animals depicted are not real.

• Implicit adult sexual activity in advertisements, recognized fictional images or with indicators of fiction.
• Digital imagery and real world art of adult sexual activity, where:

• The sexual activity or stimulation isn't explicit and is not a fetish as specified above
• The content was posted in a satirical or humorous context
• Only body shapes or contours are visible

• In certain cases, we will allow content that may otherwise violate the Community Standards when it is determined that the content is satirical. Content will only be allowed if the violating elements of the content are being satirized or attributed to something or someone else in order to mock or criticize them.