Source: RT
Colin Wright, an evolutionary biologist and the managing editor of Quillette, claimed on Tuesday that the social network had taken down his post referencing a “peer reviewed paper showing male advantage in certain sports activities.”
“They are not giving me the option to appeal their decision, and the post says it has already been ‘reviewed,’” Wright added, calling Instagram’s decision “very concerning.”
A screenshot showed Instagram warning Wright that his post “goes against” its guidelines “on hate speech or symbols,” and that he risks “losing access” to his account in the future if he makes similar posts again.
Instagram took down one of my posts for violating their rules on “hate speech.” What was the thing I posted? A figure from @FondOfBeetles and @TLexercise‘s peer reviewed paper showing male advantage in certain sports activities. pic.twitter.com/kcf53oJ73U
— Colin Wright (@SwipeWright) October 12, 2021
Turns out Instagram lied when they told me “You can ask us to review our decision if you think we made a mistake.”They are not giving me me the option to appeal their decision, and the post says it has already been “reviewed.”This is very concerning.
— Colin Wright (@SwipeWright) October 13, 2021
The removal shocked other users on social media, with one person commenting, “So you can be punished for saying something true.”
Wow, seems tyrannical to me. Not suppression of discussion of ideas but hard scientific facts. And facts at that that virtually everyone with common sense know to be true.
— dr.secondchance (@PeterGrigg7) October 13, 2021
Posting studies on sex differences is hate speech according to Instagram. I definitely want the people who run that platform making fraught decisions about free speech and censorship! https://t.co/aDsmgNQ9Q1
— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) October 13, 2021
Really. The censorship is getting obvious, dramatic and scary.😲
— Jeffrey Churchill (@chilljat) October 12, 2021
“That’s it lads. We’ve reached the point in the discourse when peer reviewed, scientific fact is now considered ‘hate speech,’” LBC correspondent Matthew Thompson tweeted, while Arc Digital editor-in-chief Berny Belvedere called Instagram’s decision “troubling.”
Instagram’s removal process has long been a source of controversy online, with the social network opting to take down inoffensive posts while allowing violence and threats to remain.
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