San Francisco, February 20: Meta-owned Instagram reinstated adult website Pornhub account on the platform in "error" on Sunday for a few hours but then shut it down again. The company said that Pornhub's Instagram account came back online for a few hours Sunday -- but that was a mistake, reports 'Variety'.

"This was done in error, a Meta spokesperson said. "As we've said previously, we permanently disabled this Instagram account for repeatedly violating our policies," it added. In September last year, Instagram permanently disabled the account of Pornhub for repeatedly violating its policies.

Pornhub defended its position, stating that those in the adult industry "have for years been undermined by Instagram's opaque, discriminatory and hypocritical enforcement of its own Terms and Policies". Pornhub Channel Banned on YouTube: Video-Sharing Platform Terminates Adult Website’s Channel Over Violations of Guidelines, Pornographic Content.

Moreover, a representative from Pornhub stated that "within hours of reinstating our Instagram account, Meta has demonstrated that its policies have no rhyme or reason when they deactivated our account again, despite not violating any guidelines. This comes at a time of increased censorship and discrimination against performers in the adult space when platforms like Instagram should be inclusive and provide safe communities for creators to express themselves".

"Instead, Meta and Instagram's haphazard and irrational enforcement of their policies place undue hardships on the livelihoods of those in the adult industry, an already marginalised group. We call on Meta to reverse its decision again," it added. In December last year, YouTube banned Pornhub's channel due to multiple community guidelines violations. Pornhub Year in Review 2022: XXX Loving Fans Search for Abella Danger, Hentai, Reality Porn, Yinyleon and a Lot More on 18+Website!

According to Google, Pornhub's account violated YouTube's external link policy, which forbids users from linking to content that is not allowed on the platform, such as pornography.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2023 06:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).