Instagram is removing Pornhub’s account from its platform

Instagram has removed Pornhub’s account from its platform.

Before its removal, the Canadian-owned pornographic video streaming website had more than 13 million followers on Instagram and had shared more than 6,200 posts.

It’s unclear exactly when the meta-owned social media giant shut down the popular adult entertainment site, but on Friday afternoon, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Justice Defense Fund, Laila Mickelwait, tweeted that the account “just shut down.”

“Has Instagram suddenly grown a conscience?” Mickelwait wrote.

Instagram’s parent company Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation, a nonprofit focused on “uncovering the connections between all forms of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation,” welcomed Instagram’s move, saying the decision shows the platform “respects the increasing… Understand evidence of Pornhub’s crime.”

“Instagram was right to remove Pornhub from its platform for violating its community standards amid mounting reports that Pornhub is hosting child sexual abuse material, sex trafficking, filmed rape, and non-consensual videos and images. Instagram served as a distribution partner for this criminal enterprise, helping to bring millions to their website, including children,” the group’s CEO, Dawn Hawkins, said in a statement Saturday.

“We are grateful that Instagram has heard the voices of sexual abuse survivors who have been personally harmed by Pornhub’s insatiable thirst for profit,” Hawkins added.

Pornhub hasn’t shared any pornographic videos or images on Instagram, but according to NCOSE, the account “directly promoted pornography and featured videos like ‘Next Career Goal,’ which encouraged its audience to become a porn performer.”

“Instagram is making a bold decision to end its partnership with Pornhub, and it’s time all companies followed suit,” Hawkins said.

Last month, both Visa and Mastercard announced this Suspend Payment Privileges by TrafficJunky, the advertising arm of Pornhub parent company MindGeek, Variety reported.