For over a year, #FreeTheNipple has been campaigned on Instagram because the social media app deletes users’ pictures that showcase nipple. But not just any nipples – only woman’s nipples.

We have seen the like of Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Chelsea Handler, and Naomi Campbell attempt to take on the app giant in an effort to express the right to equality, only to see their pictures removed within 24 hours of posting them.

There’s even an Instgram account dedicated to the cause. It, obviously, cashed in and offers a range of apparel bearing the slogan – but also shows alternative ways of bearing all without showing the nipple on Instagram – including replacing your nipple with a male’s nip.

And finally, we have an answer as to Why? we can’t see female nipples on the app. Instagram’s CEO Kevin Systrom explained their censorship: Apple.

UGH.

In order to keep your app available for Apple smartphones, you have to abide by the company’s standards. Unless your app is specifically restricted for adults only, you can’t have any nudity, and Systrom wants to keep the app available to everyone.

Although the increasingly popular social media app is committed to artistic freedom in order to scale effectively there are [some] tough calls. It wants to appeal to as many users as possible and to gain a higher age rating would prohibit younger users who want to view PG-13 content.

However, there is an element of arbitrary censorship that comes with not banning male nipples too. The majority of users are unaffected, but it does work to erode the freedom of expression that the service wants to provide.

Apparently, photos of breastfeeding women and mastectomy scars are OK, but other nipple photos aren’t. Although other apps like Snapchat and Twitter don’t really care, Instagram is totes playing it safe. Kinda suits them though.

But now it looks like it’s up to Apple to finally #freethenipple once and for all.

[source: harpersbazaar]