If One Of Your Instagram Photos Gets Taken Down, Here Are Your Options

While social media lets people express themselves in countless ways, there are still some rules when it comes to what you can and can't post. This is also true for Instagram, where photos of women's nipples are technically banned and bikini photos are all the rage. But if there's ever an instance where you don't understand how you broke a rule and Instagram still took down your photo, the social media platform is offering another way to take action.

A July 18 press release confirmed an update to the Instagram appeals process. You can now appeal the removal of photos or the disabling of your account directly through your Instagram app. The press release reads in part,

To start, appeals will be available for content deleted for violations of our nudity and pornography, bullying and harassment, hate speech, drug sales, and counter-terrorism policies, but we’ll be expanding appeals in the coming months. If content is found to be removed in error, we will restore the post and remove the violation from the account’s record.

According to Instagram, if an Instagram post of yours is removed or your account is disabled you should find out immediately upon your next login to the app. If you think your account was disabled or otherwise censored by mistake, you can follow the steps provided on your screen to appeal the decision. According to screenshots from TechCrunch, you would simply select the blue "request review" button to get a second opinion. The prompt reads, "When you request a review, we'll review your post to determine if it violates our Community Guidelines. All review decisions are final."

And if you happen to be having trouble logging in, it doesn't necessarily mean your account's been disabled. In fact, Instagram says you should still be able to log into your Instagram account if it's been disabled — you'll just receive a notification about your account's status once you've logged in. So if you aren't able to log in at all, you might just be experiencing a login issue, and should consider re-setting your Instagram password.

Though it is possible to restore content that Instagram accidentally took off your account due to a censorship or content mixup, it's not possible for Instagram to recover an account that you or someone with your password deleted. According to Instagram, an account that was deleted, not disabled, just simply can't be recovered. So if you think someone has your password, like an old friend, you might want to consider updating your password to something only you know, just to be safe.

Another common troubleshooting issue is a hacked account. If you think your Instagram account has been hacked, there are a few paths you can take to recover it. According to Instagram, you can request that a security code be sent to your phone number or email as a form of account recovery. All you have to do is click the button that says "My login info isn't working" on the login page.

Once you get the security code, you can just enter that six-digit code into the Instagram app, and you'll then be able to create a new password and access your account.