Instagram Account Vanishes Amid “Pornographic” Label
In a move that stirred eyebrows across Jakarta, an Instagram handle that used comic strips to spotlight the daily battles of gay Muslim men disappeared from the platform last Wednesday. Authorities slapped a “pornographic” stamp on the content and threatened to shut down the entire app if it stayed up.
What Went Down?
- Government Action: The Indonesian communications ministry claimed Instagram complied with a request to delete the account, citing a breach of local content rules.
- Instagram’s Response: The social network stressed it wasn’t involved, noting that profiles can vanish for various reasons—ownership deletion, deactivation, or username changes.
- Missing Owner: Reuters tried to track down the creator, but the account holder was nowhere to be found.
Why It Matters
Indonesia, the largest Muslim-majority nation, has a well-documented history of pushing back against LGBTQ+ voices. The removal of this account highlights the ongoing tension between creative expression and government censorship, raising questions about the limits of free speech in the digital age.
Instagram Account Faces Blowout in Indonesia
What went down: A comic series that tackled a young guy’s clash with his family’s religious expectations was nixed in a nutshell, and could have sparked a full‑blown Instagram shutdown.
Minister Speaks Up
Communications Minister Rudiantara warned that if the offending account didn’t go, the whole social‑media platform might get shut out for the entire country.
“Any content that pushes LGBT issues runs afoul of our health, religious, and cultural rules,” he told CNN Indonesia. “It simply isn’t aligned with Indonesia.”
What the comics showed
The strips, before the takedown, followed a young Indonesian man stuck between faith and identity. He’s depicted in a situation that some consider “too provocative” – a two‑man bedroom scene, plus a storyline where the protagonist gets bullied for being gay.
Number of followers
- More than 6,000 fans were following the account.
Bottom line
In short, a mix of cultural sensitivity, government pressure, and a social‑media platform that’s wary of political backlash turned the comic’s story from a funny anecdote into a headline horror story.
