#FreeTheNipple: Instagram CEO says anti-nudity policy is really Apple's fault

Free The Nipple Director Lina Esco, left and actress Rumer Willis at the film's premier

INSTAGRAM has revealed why it's struggling to address the #FreeTheNipple campaign. And why its anti-nudity policies are not set to change any time soon.

 

The #FreeTheNipple social media campaign has taken Instagram by storm over the last year.

The gender equality movement, which was kickstarted by filmmaker Lina Esco back in 2014, focuses on the apparent double standards in censorship for men and women.

As part of this equality campaign, the hashtag has been used to highlight the difference in attitudes between male and female nipples on Facebook-owned social media site, Instagram.

The US firm is renown for being particularly aggressive about pulling down images which feature an uncensored female nipple and break the social service's community guidelines.

In a nutshell, photographs can show any part of the breast but the nipple itself has to be blurred out. Unless it's male.

But now Instagram has offered an explanation.

 

And according to the Business Insider, the app's cofounder blames Apple.

Instagram CEO Kevyn Systrom explained that the Facebook-owned photo sharing service cannot change its guidelines because of the Apple App Store age rating system.

If Instagram were to allow uncensored female nipples to appear in photographs on the social network, Apple would increase the age rating from the current 12+ to a 17+ rating.

Because Instagram wants to appeal to users of all ages, it cannot afford to increase its age rating.

Instagram CEO Mr Systrom said that "in order to scale effectively, there are [some] tough calls."

Official Instagram policy states: "If you wouldn’t show the photo or video you are thinking about uploading to a child, or your boss, or your parents, you probably shouldn’t share it on Instagram. 

"Accounts found sharing nudity or mature content will be disabled and your access to Instagram may be discontinued."

 

FREE THE NIPPLE 💋 #freethenipple

A photo posted by Cara Delevingne (@caradelevingne) on Jun 24, 2014 at 6:44pm PDT

No bother. Only 1 person looked disgusted. Someone bought their baby over to see. 😊 #FreeTheNipple @freefringefest pic.twitter.com/cIYk6Nym47

— Samantha Pressdee (@SammieAurora) August 19, 2015

Always see shirtless dudes around campus, but where are the shirtless women #EqualRights #2015 @freethenipple

— Goose (@GooseParreira) October 1, 2015

When!! will!! people!! understand!! that!! the free the nipple campaign!! is about!! more than just nipples!!!!!

— morgan(@morgvnic) September 23, 2015

@freethenipple ❤️❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/f5B0MVRpmn

— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) December 11, 2013

There are times the app will allow female nipples to go uncensored, including "photos of post-mastectomy scarring and women actively breastfeeding are allowed," but "some photos of female nipples" are banned.

Twitter only bans images with "graphic content (such as media containing pornography, excessive violence, or medical procedures) in your profile image, header image, or background image."

Users are free to post graphic images within tweets, but must mark the pictures as containing sensitive content.

This means Twitter is able to "identify potentially sensitive content that others users may not wish to see, such as violence or nudity."

But despite this laissez-faire attitude, Twitter is only rated 4+ in the Apple App Store.

A number of high profile celebrities have voiced their support for the #FreeTheNipple campaign across social media.

Pop star Miley Cyrus has posted multiple images highlighting the hugely popular social media website's apparent double standards, alongside model Cara Delevingne, Rihanna and Icelandic MP Bjort Olafsdottir.