Is Instagram Biased Against Fatter 'Belfies'?

Advertisement
By Indo Asian News Service | Updated: 26 May 2014 20:06 IST
Forget selfies as the war has now moved to "belfies". The online photo-video sharing website Instagram has recently been accused of censoring plump, underwear-clad bottom while continuing to allow skinnier, skimpier clothed bodies to appear.

A Californian musician and video blogger Meghan Tonjes who posted pictures of her body on Instagram as part of her story of her weight loss, accused Instagram of double standards.

She posted her "belfie" in black underwear but Instagram told her the picture breached community guidelines including its nudity and "mature content" clause and removed her photo.

(Also see: Instagram Update for iOS Removes Auto-Sharing to Facebook Feature)

The company later restored the photo following criticism on social media and apologised to Tonjes, Daily Life reported.

"Our guidelines put limitations on nudity and mature content but we recognise we do not always get it right," an Instagram spokesperson was quoted as saying.

According to Tonjes, photographs of skinny women wearing lingerie continue to be posted on Instagram.

(Also see: Instagram updates its Explore page to make it more personalised)

"By taking my picture down, Instagram was continuing a bias against fatter women," she accused.

Last week, the company briefly suspended the account of fashion magazine Vogue's creative director Grace Coddington after she posted a photo of a whimsical, revealing sketch.

Instagram reinstated her account later.

For details of the latest launches and news from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo and other companies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, visit our MWC 2025 hub.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. MacBook Pro (2026) With M5 Pro, M5 Max Chips Launched in India: See Price
  2. MediaTek Showcases Emergency Satellite Alerts With Starlink, AI Glasses
  3. Tecno Megapad 2, Tecno Watch GT 1S and Tecno FreeHear 2 Debut at MWC 2026
  4. Apple Introduces M5 Pro, M5 Max Chips With Fusion Architecture, Super Cores
  5. MacBook Air With M5 Chip, Up to 15.3-Inch Display Launched in India
  6. Apple Studio Display, Studio Display XDR With 27-Inch 5K Displays Launched in India
  1. Tecno Megapad 2, Tecno Watch GT 1S and Tecno FreeHear 2 Unveiled at MWC 2026: Availability, Features
  2. Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice OTT Release Date: Know When and Where to Watch it Online
  3. MediaTek Showcases AI Glasses at MWC 2026; Demonstrates Emergency Satellite Alerts With Starlink
  4. Devagudi Now Streaming Online: Where to Watch Intense Drama Online?
  5. Jab Khuli Kitaab OTT Release Date: When and Where to Watch Pankaj Kapur and Dimple Kapadia Starrer Romantic Drama Online?
  6. Apple Introduces M5 Pro, M5 Max Chips With New Fusion Architecture on 2026 MacBook Pro Models
  7. Apple Studio Display, Studio Display XDR With 27-Inch 5K Displays Launched in India: Price, Features
  8. Jockey Now Available for Streaming Online: Where to Watch This Tamil Action Movie Online?
  9. NASA’s Carruthers Observatory Begins Mission to Study Earth’s Hydrogen Halo
  10. MacBook Pro (2026) Launched in India With M5 Pro, M5 Max Chips, Up to 16-Inch Display: Price, Specifications
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.