Candy Hirschel

NAME: Candy Hirschel
PLATFORM & USERNAME: Instagram @ca.mi.hi
CENSORSHIP: Shadow & content ban

What reason was given for your ban?

Sexual assault.

Why do you think your post(s) was censored?

As an art student, I create nude art drawings and paintings. My post showed a drawn and therefore fictional vulva. That’s all.

Were you able to appeal and what was the response?

I got no response.

What effect has your experience of censorship had on you?

Now I have to censor my art. I think this is wrong as we talk here about fictional art (drawing/painting). It hurts the whole art community.

What’s one thing you want people to know about this topic?

Actually, I don’t get Instagram’s rules here – it’s very untransparent. Because they say paintings and sculptures with nudity are ok but then ban you. It’s a huge problem in the art community because in art nudity and even sexuality are basic topics. It’s problematic if artists have to censor themselves or even change their art in the first place just to be able to share it on Instagram or even worse losing the account with all the hard work you put in.