Moms aren't happy that Instagram keeps deleting topless photos of their long-haired sons

It's no secret that social media sites use a combination of automation and actual people when it comes to taking down inappropriate content. This is something that a group of mothers recently learned when Instagram and Facebook kept taking down topless photos of their sons, even though they don't break any of the site's rules. 

The boys are from all around the world, but they share one trait - long hair. One of those moms is Tori Spooner, who lives near the beach in Florida. Spooner started an Instagram account for her son Parker when he was born. She planned on documenting her and her son's efforts to clean up local beaches. Now, four years later, she's starting to have an issue with both Instagram and Facebook. 

A year and a half ago, a photo of Parker shirtless at the beach and posted to Facebook got flagged. 

"They sent it and said it was sexual and we weren’t allowed to have it. It was pretty much just a warning," Spooner told Buzzfeed News.  

"Then the second time it happened on Facebook, it banned me for a couple of days," she added. 

Then it started happening on Instagram too. The bans got longer, and two weeks ago, her son's account was deleted entirely. The account had years of photos and several thousand followers.  

"They said my account was taken down because too many of the photos were flagged on Instagram," she added. 

According to Buzzfeed News, the photos did not violate Facebook or Instagram's rules. In a statement, Facebook admitted to making a mistake: 

“This post was taken down in error and we are sorry for the mistake. We err on the side of protecting children and for safety reasons we remove some images that show nude or partially-nude children," a spokesperson told Buzzfeed News. 

"Even when this content is shared with good intentions, it could be used by others in unanticipated ways." 

After her son's account was deleted, Spooner made a new account and posted a photo of Parker with a sign covering his chest that read: "Dear Instagram, I'm a boy. I just have long hair. Quit deleting my pictures!" 

And it turns out that Parker and his mom weren't the only ones having issues. Other parents have also taken to Instagram to post pictures of their sons with similar signs. 

One mom wrote: 

"Dear Instagram, my son's nipples are not 'inappropriate.' Just when you think humanity has taken a step into the modern-day. Let women breastfeed their babies where ever they want, let them post pictures and videos, let it be normalized. But then report flag and take down photos of our long-haired boys because they are shirtless and we can see their nipples. Just because his hair is long doesn’t make him a girl. Also since when is a child’s body “inappropriate” even if they were girls, way to sexualize our children."

Another added: "Like no other, I know what it feels like when your son is called girl, lady etc especially by adults! And all those looks you get when they realize that it’s a boy! Haircut can’t define who’s in front of you. I’ve always looked at [Instagram] community as on very modern and accepting. Hope I wasn’t wrong."

While this parent blamed "blanket" algorithms, writing: "Blanket algorithms or auto robots are not the answer. I understand the need for a monitoring system to be in place but deleting family photos, accounts, and freezing people from accessing their accounts is not right and, in the words of @sweetbeeandhonies, judgmental as heck. Noah and I, and his buddies who have his back, are joining the #longhairedboyrevolution."

Spooner was surprised to see her idea spreading, telling Buzzfeed News: "I originally just started it kind of for us, but so many other people were commenting saying they’d make a sign too, and it started spreading." 

The original account has since been reinstated, but Spooner still wants to see change.

"Find a solution so we’re allowed to post our boys with long hair," she said. "Have somebody manually view them if they get flagged."