This past week, artist Phillip Kremer was kicked off Instagram. Kremer is known for his grotesque, distorted photographs of celebrities, politicians, and babies, and had been using Instagram to promote his work. His most recent user profile (he has been kicked off before), amassed over 54,000 followers, including John Mayer, Katy Perry, and Amy Sedaris, who recently reposted one of his photos.
Kremer has tried contacting Instagram to ask why his account was removed, but the company hasn’t responded. Nothing in Kremer’s photos appears to violate Instagram’s community guidelines. In fact, Instagram advises that if a user finds content they don’t like that does not violate the site’s usage policy, they can simply unfollow and/or block the person. Still, Instagram claims to be “an authentic and safe place for inspiration and expression.”
Does Instagram remove accounts automatically if there are enough complaints (i.e. upset Trump fans)?
Earlier today, KUHF published a story on Kremer’s situation. It included a statement from Instagram PR guy Gabe Madway:
Although I’m not allowed to comment on individual accounts, I can tell you that the depictions of Donald Trump had nothing to do with the account being removed.
To see more of Kremer’s art, you can visit his Tumblr archive.
