Disturbing or Violent Content

Our Community Guidelines prohibit graphic or gratuitous imagery of violence to humans or animals. These Content Guidelines prohibit graphic or gratuitous depictions of not only violence, but also severe illness, injury or death. Our Community Guidelines do not prohibit content that depicts medical or cosmetic procedures (for example, pimple popping, ear cleaning, liposuction, etc.), but content is not eligible for recommendation if it depicts graphic imagery. “Graphic” in this context includes real-life imagery of bodily fluids or waste, such as pus, blood, urine, excrement, bile, infection, decay. We deny amplification to intentionally, viscerally disturbing human body imagery, such as sharp objects near the skin or eyes, or vermin near the mouth. While our Community Guidelines prohibit content that shows animal abuse, these Content Guidelines additionally prohibit imagery of severe animal suffering (for example, open wounds, emaciation, broken or mangled body parts) or death.

Our Community Guidelines prohibit expressing support for violence or encouraging violence against anyone. These Content Guidelines go further to prohibit even ambiguous support for or tacit approval of violence.

Our Community Guidelines prohibit the promotion of self-injury, suicide or eating disorders. These Content Guidelines go further to deny amplification to edge-case content (for example, jokingly saying, “Delete your account and kys,” or any “thinspo” or “pro-ana” content).

Is prohibited in our Community Guidelines. These Content Guidelines deny amplification to content that depicts dangerous activities performed by non-professionals, such as stunts or “challenges” that could result in injury, illness, death, harm or property damage.

Of disturbing incidents. Our Community Guidelines do not prohibit content about disturbing incidents, but these Content Guidelines deny amplification to content that focuses on non-newsworthy violent or sexual crimes or crimes that involve minors. For content to be considered “newsworthy,” it must be timely and involve a prominent individual, group or issue in the public interest.

In the context of national news, education or public discourse, where there is no graphic imagery of death or mutilation. Disturbing incidents, such as sexual or violent crimes, may be newsworthy when they are timely and involve a prominent individual, group or issue in the public interest

Including eating disorders.

Procedures, medical settings or equipment. This includes preserved body organs in educational or newsworthy contexts.

Where the skin is not broken.

Such as tattoo needles on skin or piercings in progress.

Without graphic imagery of death or gore.

Such as spiders, insects or snakes.

Fictional but realistic and potentially disturbing imagery. This includes violence in entertainment contexts (for example, in a movie, video game or comedy skit). This also includes horror-themed content (for example, special effects makeup, costumes, props). It also includes imagery meant to provoke a visceral reaction (for example, porous objects to trigger trypophobia, glue to simulate peeling skin or seeds to simulate ticks).

When it is not directed at an individual, not derogatory to a group, and not in a sexually explicit context. This applies to expletives commonly used to express general frustration (for example, “s***” and “f***”).