Naturists call out Meta for nudity censorship and discrimination in open letter, claim unfairly targeted

A coalition of 34 National Naturist Federations, led by the International Naturist Federation, has issued an open letter demanding accountability and equality in Meta’s handling of nudity on its platforms, including Instagram and Facebook.

The groups allege that Meta’s recent shifts in applying its Community Standards have disproportionately affected women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and naturists, with content removals increasingly based on the identity of the poster rather than the actual material shared.

The statement “may help arrange or encourage sexual activities” is now reportedly being used as a blanket justification to remove content unrelated to sexual activity. This includes mainstream news articles and posts from charitable organisations.

Mark Bass, President of British Naturism and a signatory to the open letter, said: "Naturism is grounded in respect, and we entirely support the aim of providing a platform that is safe and respectful across different cultures. However, those principles must be applied across all of society. For Naturists, nudity is a central aspect of the philosophical belief that defines our identity."

He added: "The disproportionate impact of Meta’s policies on women and the LGBTQ+ community is alarming and shows that this is not a niche concern. This is not simply about sharing fun pictures; this is about equality and protecting the human rights of all."

The Meta Oversight Board, an independent panel advising the company, has previously criticised the inconsistent application of its Sexual Solicitation policy. In January 2023, the board said: "Meta’s internal guidance to moderators on when to remove content under the Sexual Solicitation policy is far broader than the stated rationale for the policy, or the publicly available guidance. This creates confusion for users and moderators and, as Meta has recognised, leads to content being wrongly removed."

The board also highlighted the disproportionate impact of these policies, adding: "Meta’s policies on adult nudity result in greater barriers to expression for women, trans, and gender non-binary people on its platforms."

Naturists argue that Meta’s approach reinforces harmful narratives around body shaming and contributes to mental health issues. Citing UK statistics, they note that suicide remains the leading cause of death among men aged 20-34, while 5.6% of women aged 17-19 suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

"Social media providers, wielding enormous influence, must take responsibility for their role in perpetuating these issues," the statement reads.

The open letter, signed by the Secretary of the International Human Rights Foundation among others, calls for Meta to address these concerns urgently.

Meta has been contacted for comment.