Our casual conversations are usually peppered with tons of words that many might consider inappropriate or downright insulting!
But has that ever stopped us from spilling hot tea with our friends by using the BEST vocabulary we have? Nope.
Sometimes using swear words is a MUST, especially if you want to add that little flair to your conversation or statement, and when it comes to social media, the need to use these words and cuss out your message is a little TOO real!
But with the emerging trends and movement, swear words are often used to target minorities and other discriminated groups online.
Platforms like Instagram have adopted policies to monitor curse words to a certain extent, but that might leave you guessing, can you curse on Instagram at all? Or will that just be something you’ll always have to limit to your real-life convos with the gang?
And let’s not forget, this interesting and intimate flair of curse words can even be used in actual advertising, but where do the lines actually lie with Instagram’s policies?
In this post, I’ll go over everything you need to know about cruising on Instagram.
⚡Also Read: How to make your Instagram profile and bio attractive.
Is Swearing Allowed On Instagram?
Turns out, you CAN swear on Instagram. Instagram has allowed the use of profanity as long as it does not harass someone or used to write adult content.
Fair enough. But that is NOT the problem – harassment can be something that is INCREDIBLY subjective!
Something that is totally ok and not inappropriate to you might sound horrendously abusive and intimidating to someone else, and if your post gets reported to Instagram, you MIGHT get banned (at worse) or notified by the platform about your content.
And there’s a chance of Instagram reducing the reach of posts with cuss words. There’s no data to prove it though but there’s a good chance they would do something like that.
Hence when you curse on Instagram, you will be stepping into a very gray area where ANYTHING can happen.
So the best option? Don’t risk it (that is only if it doesn’t add anything to what you are posting).
Swearing On Reels And Stories
You can swear on Instagram reels and stories as well.
When it comes to reels, Instagram seems to have a technology to monitor the content of what is being spotted, and swearing is fine as long as – you guessed it – what you post is NOT harassment or pornography.
The same goes for stories as well, and if you have the caption setting on, some users have mentioned that the word will actually get bleeped, which is pretty interesting.
⚡Also Read: Everything about Instagram hashtags
Now Instagram might not outright block you for using profanity, but they are certainly NOT encouraging the use of curse words!
And if you DO use curse words on your post, let’s just hope that your followers and/or people who get to see your post in any other way won’t report you for the language.
Cursing On Instagram Ads
Now if you are an adventurous social media marketing manager, you might have at least considered the idea of adding profanity to your advertisement – because that is surely ONE way to grab the attention of whoever is scrolling down the app!
Using bits of interesting wording in advertising has always been a thing, but Instagram policies can say otherwise.
If you end up dropping F-bombs on all of your Instagram ads, you WILL get reported or banned, but what you can do is use profanity creatively, with a bit of artistic flair.
Having curse words in actual writing (captions), and also using words that can offend racial groups and communities (slurs that anyone could get offended by) can easily lead you to get on Instagram’s bad side.
⚡Also Read: Best Instagram marketing strategies
Instead, use words that your target audience might find funny or engaging, and NEVER try to be overly bold with profanity – it’s JUST not worth the risk.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that you can curse on Instagram. Swearing is allowed as long as it’s not used to bully someone or write erotic stories.
However it is a bad idea to curse unless your account is a private account because if a bunch of people get offended or don’t like it, they are going to report you.
A few reports can get your account banned and I am sure it reduces the reach of your posts too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Say The F-Word On Instagram?
Yes, you can – but there are consequences. If you end up using this word in the comment sections and on your regular posts, someone might find it offensive and report you.
Even if your intention was not to hurt anyone, it can still be interpreted as such and Instagram can mess with your post and account afterwards.
If you have a private account, and you are sure of your followers, swear away! But also make sure your vocabulary does not contain racial slurs (just in case).
But if you have a public account or a page, it is best to keep the f-bombs for your regular in-life conversations and far away from social media.
How To Bleep Out Swear Words On Instagram?
When it comes to reels and stories, bleeping out words has never been easier. Simply turn on the automatic captioning mechanism and your videos will be curse word FREE!
The captions will censor the words on the screen, while also bleeping out the audio which is pretty neat if you ask me.
Since curse words can often be used to target, abuse, and bully people online, especially on social media platforms, Instagram has installed such mechanisms in place, to promote a better bully-free platform.
