In a decision dated 17 January, advisors on the company’s content-moderation board suggested that Meta change its adult nudity and sexual activity community standard “so that it is governed by clear criteria that respect international human rights standards”.

Currently, Instagram’s policy on nudity states that while “people might want to share nude images that are artistic or creative in nature”, nudity is simply not allowed.

“This includes photos, videos and some digitally created content that shows sexual intercourse, genitals and close-ups of fully-nude buttocks,” the company says. “It also includes some photos of female nipples, but photos in the context of breastfeeding, birth-giving and after-birth moments, health-related situations (for example, post-mastectomy, breast cancer awareness or gender confirmation surgery) or an act of protest are allowed.”

However, the oversight board’s ruling follows on from Facebook’s censorship of two posts showing a transgender and non-binary couple posing topless, but with their nipples covered, with captions describing trans healthcare and raising money for top surgery. The posts were flagged by the site’s users, then reviewed and removed by an AI system. After the couple appealed the decision, Meta eventually restored the posts.

It could finally be time to ‘free the nipple’ after Facebook and Instagram told to overhaul their ban on bare breasts