Social media is waging a sexually charged war on fruits and veggies.
In July, Facebook and Instagram quietly updated the Facebook Community Standards language regarding permissible sexual expression on the social media platforms. (These guidelines cover Instagram, too.)
Under the new terms — which were officially enacted in September — pairing an eggplant or peach emoji with any expression of what Out.com deems “being horny” now qualifies as “Sexual Solicitation.” This can get a user’s account flagged or removed.
The Facebook Community Standards language is quite broad, not naming the emojis specifically but referring to “[commonly used] sexual emojis or emoji strings” as criteria which qualify as “Suggestive Elements.”
“[Content] will only be removed from Facebook and Instagram if it contains a sexual emoji alongside an implicit or indirect ask for nude imagery, sex or sexual partners, or sex chat conversations,” Instagram told the New York Post.
“We aren’t taking action on simply the emojis.”
Nude photos where emojis cover genitalia, butts or female nipples are also now formally not allowed, as are any links or info leading to pornographic or otherwise adult material.