As we exit 2024…
At the end of an exciting and tumultuous year, we at Don’t Delete Art want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our community. Your voices, creativity, and perseverance are the driving force behind our purpose as we fight against art censorship online and advocate for artistic perspectives in digital rights.
On December 23rd, Don’t Delete Art was invited to speak with the Woodhull Freedom Foundation about what we saw and learned in 2024, and what we are looking forward to in 2025. If you missed the talk, you can check it out by clicking the video below,or heading to youtube!
(video begins with DDA’s interview, no skipping required 😉)
What did we face in 2024?
In 2024, we saw a lot of shifting ground for artists online, primarily from platforms continuing to respond to various international regulations, like the EU's Digital Services Act which has given artists on social media insight, in terms of transparency requirements, into how and why their artwork was being actioned on -- these regulations also require that they offer an appeals system, which we saw more broadly implemented. This marked a big difference from prior years, when artists were subject to what was often referred to as the "Shadowban," when their artwork would be downranked or otherwise obstructed without their ability to know how, why, or to appeal.
While this marks a positive shift in how artwork may be moderated, it has also ended up producing a lot of frustration among artists online, particularly on Instagram, who are restricted by various moderation practices such as limited reach, reduced visibility, and other restrictions on accounts. It is hard to know whether the moderation practices have become more stringent or whether the increased transparency is enlightening us to the mistakes and misinterpretations of art online. Some of this may have also been due to how platforms are reacting to pressures from governments and society, which results in a chilling effect for freedom of expression online.
On Instagram, where most of our cases take place, in general, we have seen what appears to be more sloppy enforcement of meta's rules, and artists feel like they have no recourse when appeals don't work. For example, artists working with the human nude figure are continuing to feel pressured to change how they represent their artistic practice online, or to move it to different online platforms all together.
This year has taught us a lot about the shifting (and seemingly shrinking) boundaries of the acceptable on social media, how we can connect to other groups to help protect them, and where we might focus our energy in order to best advocate for artists online.
As such, To help us understand the issues at hand and plan our strategy, we have just launched a new Instagram Artist Instagram Account Status Survey and Report Form for artists to show us what is happening within their accounts, and the kinds of violations and restrictions they are receiving. As we gather this important first-hand information, we will determine how we can use this data to get a better picture of the state of art censorship on Instagram and how to advise both artists and advocate for artistic freedom online.
What are we anticipating in 2025?
Much of what we've experienced in 2024 will certainly roll over into the new year; though in the US, the fact that there will be single-party rule across the three branches of government may not bode well for nuanced understanding of art that tests the limits or explores themes that are at risk for censorship. Legislation affecting social media and the internet that has not passed previously, or that has been held up, will likely be without checks and balances.
We will continue to monitor such bills and press online platforms to protect artists, and we will continue to gather information, reports, and data any way we can from the art community to gauge how their artwork is being treated online.
In the EU, because of the DSA, third-party social media dispute settlement groups have formed, through which users can make complaints about how their content is being moderated on various platforms. We are interested in pursuing how this system may help artists, by allowing them to argue for their art outside of the notorious "black box" of platforms. We believe there will be much to learn from this process that we can bring to our work within the US as well.
As we gear up for this next year, it’s important to look back on what we have achieved..
Here are some of our major accomplishments from 2024!
Advocacy and Monitoring Trends
Through censorship reports from artists, we closely monitored changes and trends in online art censorship. These reports enabled us to speak out on the critical issues affecting artists and ensure that advocacy efforts were grounded in the real experiences of our community.
Community Education and Empowerment
We kept our community informed with Instagram posts and infographics on crucial topics such as the limiting of “political content”, “potential spam” notifications, how to download your content, the World Day Against Cyber Censorship, KOSA legislation, and Apple Photos’ “Safety Filter.” These resources empowered artists to advocate for themselves, stay vigilant, grow our community, and speak out against online censorship.
Launch of the Artists Instagram Account Status Survey & Report Form
In response to suppression, restriction, and erasure of artists on Instagram, we introduced the Artists Instagram Account Status Survey & Report Form. This tool provides critical insight into how artists’ accounts and visibility are being moderated, while helping us advocate for better policies that protect art. Transparency regulations have revealed the complexities of “violation loops” and restricted reach, making this form a vital resource for both artists and our advocacy.
Introducing “DDA Censorship Art Spots”
Inspired by the 1985 MTV "Art Breaks," we launched DDA Censorship Art Spots – videos created by our community that artistically express the experience of online art censorship. These spots spread awareness and connect with audiences beyond the traditional art world, mirroring how we use Instagram to amplify artists’ voices today.
Spotlighting Artists Through “DDA Presents”
Our DDA Presents posts continued to feature inspiring artists and their stories of censorship. These posts shared their art, resilience, and perspectives, bringing visibility to their experiences.
Research and Partnerships
We celebrate our partnership with ELLIS Alicante, supporting the publication of their groundbreaking qualitative report, “Exposed or Erased: Algorithmic Censorship of Nudity in Art.” This report revealed the profound effects of algorithmic censorship on art and artists.
Panels, Presentations, and Reports
Don’t Delete Art moderated the panel “Don’t Delete Art: Is Social Media Beyond Our Control?” at the Independent Art Fair in NYC, as part of Dangerous Art/Endangered Artists, presented by Artists At Risk Connection and Art At A Time Like This.
We were honored to contribute our first dedicated report about online art censorship to Freemuse’s 2024 State of Artistic Freedom Report. This influential report is relied upon by international policymakers and NGOs as a critical resource on art censorship globally.
We shared our mission at online events hosted by Decentraland, Bonfire, and the Woodhull Freedom Foundation.
Press and Media Features
Our work was highlighted by impactful journals and organizations such as the Electronic FrontierFoundation, The Interlocutor, and Women Art United.
Media outlets including the British Journal of Photography, Hyperallergic, The Art Newspaper, and The Grapa featured our efforts to protect artistic freedom.
New Horizons
We joined the conversation on BlueSky, opening up new opportunities for connection and advocacy.
Our Manifesto continues to inspire, with over 2,600 signatures from artists, art workers, organizations, and art lovers around the world!