Here's why Instagram might be removing your comments

If you’re an active Instagram user, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of having your comments randomly removed from posts with no clear explanation. In fact, during my research into the problem, I noticed an overwhelming amount of complaints on platforms like Reddit and X from users who feel like Instagram is over doing it with comment removals in recent days.

While it can be baffling and feel like censorship, there are actually several potential reasons why Instagram’s moderation systems may be deleting your comments. After scouring the web, including Reddit, forums, Meta’s documentation, articles, and videos on the subject, I’ve rounded up some of the most probable explanations and rumors too.

One of the primary reasons Instagram removes comments is the violation of its Community Guidelines. These guidelines are in place to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all users. Comments that include hate speech, harassment, bullying, spam, false information, or sexually explicit content are swiftly removed. Hate speech targets individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disabilities. Harassment and bullying, including threats and degrading comments, are also not tolerated. Spam, such as repeatedly posting the same comment or using bots, is another major reason for comment removal. Additionally, misinformation that could potentially harm people or communities, as well as comments with nudity or sexual content, are subject to deletion. You might see a similar notice when Instagram removes a comment:

Instagram employs automated systems and AI filters to detect and remove inappropriate comments. While these systems are continually improving, they are not infallible and sometimes erroneously flag and remove comments that do not violate any guidelines. User reports also play a significant role. If other users report a comment as inappropriate or offensive, it may be reviewed by Instagram’s moderation team and removed if it violates community standards. Multiple reports can expedite this process. You might get a pop-up warning similar to this if Instagram restricts your account from commenting:

Apart from that, Instagram notes that if someone blocks you, your comments and likes will be removed from their posts.

Another factor that could contribute to erroneous comment removals is Instagram’s filtering systems being overly aggressive in their attempt to quickly remove violating content. With billions of comments posted each day, Instagram relies heavily on automated filtering to surface and remove potential policy violations at a large scale.

However, this automation comes with trade-offs in terms of accuracy and context awareness. Comments containing certain words or phrases may get automatically flagged and removed, even if those terms were used in an innocent or non-violating way. In some cases, you might even see a ‘Something went wrong’ error if your comment gets flagged. Filtering systems can also struggle with sarcasm, slang, coded language and cultural nuances in how people communicate online.

Furthermore, if you engage or interact with many posts by liking, commenting or sharing them, Instagram might restrict activity on your account. This might result in the platform removing some of your recent comments, prior to the restriction.

This overactive content filtering could unfairly impact comments that don’t actually violate Instagram’s rules but get caught in the automated filter’s net. A few of my comments on Instagram were also removed because Instagram’s AI seemingly can’t understand sarcasm. So this is an actual problem that needs to be addressed.

Some users speculate that Instagram may be “shadowbanning” certain comments or accounts by making their content less visible or removing it entirely from public view. Shadowbanning refers to stealthily deprioritizing someone’s content without outright banning their account.

The theory is that Instagram’s algorithms may be picking up on characteristics like the use of certain hashtags, emoji combinations, or high volumes of similar comments and automatically limiting the reach of that content. This could potentially lead to comments being removed if they’re classified as spam-like behavior.

However, Meta has denied deliberately shadowbanning users, stating that content is either shown or removed entirely in accordance with the Community Guidelines. Some creators have had more success getting their content re-instated after appealing removals to Instagram’s human moderation teams. That said, The Markup ran an independent test to see if shadowbanning is actually a thing, but couldn’t evidence to prove it.

Beyond the core factors above, some users have also speculated about a few other potential causes for inexplicable comment removals:

• Bugs or system glitches within Instagram’s app/website temporarily causing moderation errors.
• Comment removals during viral/high activity periods when filtering systems get overwhelmed.
• Allegations of censorship due to comments containing certain political opinions or controversial viewpoints.
• Targeted harassment campaigns where groups falsely report certain users/comments en masse.
• People using banned Instagram spam services or bots to automate leaving comments.

While possible, many of these other causes are largely unverified rumors without much evidence from Meta. The company maintains that it does not censor based on political views and that bug-related errors impacting comments are rare.

Funnily enough, just a minute into my research on Instagram removing political comments, I noticed a recent post on X from a user who shared a screenshot of their comment being removed, even though there’s no indication of the comment going against any guidelines.

To avoid having your comments removed, familiarize yourself with Instagram’s Community Guidelines. Make sure to steer clear of offensive language, threats, and spammy content. Be mindful of the language you use and avoid words or phrases that might be flagged by automated systems. Moderate your commenting activity to avoid posting too quickly in succession. Take your time and ensure each comment is meaningful and relevant.

Additionally, be cautious with including links in your comments. If you must include a link, ensure it is from a reputable source. Avoid using restricted hashtags that might be associated with inappropriate content. If you believe your comment was removed in error, report the issue to Instagram.