Instagram suspends British user’s account for uploading a cake

Instagram is a strange social network. Built on a pile of images from across the world, there are instances when the company feels that some snaps are just too damn tasty for public viewing. And by tasty, I don’t just mean worthy of censorship.

Worthy is an interesting word here, and tasty even more so. Why? Well, because Instagram this week thought that a baked good was just too provocative to be hosted on its network.

A British mom Sue Moseley, uploaded an image of an Easter simnel cake her daughter Fiona baked, but was greeted by an account suspended notice for “violating” Instagram’s terms.

Fiona took to Twitter soon after to announce her mom’s disappointment, and her own views on the flawed censorship system.

My mum’s @instagram account was suspended because she posted a pic of an Easter simnel cake! Automated censorship gone wrong. She’s gutted 🎂

— Fiona Moseley (@fionamoseley) April 3, 2016

It’s anyone’s guess why the image was removed though — other than it making everyone on the social network hungry — but according to Mashable, Fiona Moseley suggested that it could be because Instagram thought it looks “like a naked body part.”

What body part? Fiona has a hunch.

My Mum’s @instagram account was deactivated for posting this Easter Simnel cake. IT’S NOT A BOOB. #BoobGate pic.twitter.com/f9TXJd7lDC

— Fiona Moseley (@fionamoseley) April 4, 2016

Nevertheless, this does raise a number of questions regarding Instagram’s automated systems, and notably those focused on keeping the network family friendly. It’s clearly not efficient in that regard. But if it’s programmed to keep the site sugar-free, it’s definitely doing a good job.

Feature image: Fiona Moseley via Twitter