Instagram is taking steps to ensure it doesn’t become Tumblr

Instagram and Tumblr are both platforms that focus heavily on visual content, especially content created by users. However, whereas Tumblr has no problem with nudity and pornography on its service, Instagram does, and it has released some more in-depth standards for the images posted on the service in an effort to reduce the amount of pornography, as well as harassment. While it does allow certain non-sexual nudity, such as women breastfeeding, most other forms of nudity aren’t allowed. 

Instagram is dropping the nice-guy act. The photo- and video-sharing app Thursday unveiled more-detailed standards for images, aimed at curbing pornography and harassment. The tone is tougher, too: Instagram cut the number of times it says “please,” to one, from four. “In the old guidelines, we would say ‘don’t be mean’,” said Nicky Jackson Colaco, director of public policy for Instagram, which is owned by Facebook FB -0.29%. “Now we’re actively saying you can’t harass people. The language is just stronger.” For example, Instagram’s previous guidelines asked users to be polite and respectful. The revised version is much longer and specifies that “serious threats of harm to public and personal safely aren’t allowed.” Ditto for nudity. Before, Instagram asked users to refrain from posting “nudity or mature content.” Now, the guidelines are more specific. Photos of post-mastectomy scarring or women breastfeeding are okay. Not okay: “Close-ups of fully nude buttocks”