Is women's health content being 'shadowbanned' on social media?
BBC News explores the concerns surrounding the suppression of women's health content on social media platforms.
Background
In January 2025, Irene Breen, a business owner, received a notification that Instagram was removing adverts for her pregnancy pillows. She was later informed that the issue was with the word "pregnancy" itself. This led to a lengthy process of adjusting her website content to comply with Instagram's restrictions, which Breen described as a significant financial setback.
Meta's Policy
Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, stated that while businesses can advertise wellness, sexual health, and reproductive products and services, there are guidelines to prevent users from having negative experiences across different cultures and countries.
Unfair Restrictions
Women's health creators and charities have reported various forms of content restrictions, including removal, sensitivity filters, and reduced reach, a practice known as "shadowbanning."
CensHERship's Findings
The campaign group CensHERship, in a recent report, surveyed nearly 200 creators, providers, brands, charities, and educators, revealing that 96% had experienced some form of restriction.
AI and Moderation
Dr. Carolina Are, a digital criminologist at the London School of Economics, explained that AI is often used to flag potentially sensitive content. However, she cautioned that AI misdetection can lead to repeated errors, as the system uses automated messages, making it difficult for users to dispute the decisions.
Specific Examples
Athena Lamnisos, CEO of Eve Appeal (a gynaecological cancer charity), shared an incident where a post about vulval anatomy, including an anatomical diagram with labels, was pulled and later reappeared behind a sensitivity filter. She emphasized the importance of reaching people with "life-saving health information."
Deirdre O'Neill, from Hertility (a fertility test company), described similar challenges in getting content approved, likening the process to an "obstacle course."