Artist Emma Shapiro sues Meta over Instagram account deletion
On December 8, 2025, artist and activist Emma Shapiro filed a lawsuit against Meta following the permanent suspension of her Instagram account, @nipeople, just one day after she contested its suspension. Shapiro, an American residing in Spain, initiated the Exposure Therapy project in 2017 to confront the censorship of women's bodies. Her account, established in 2018, faced suspension after she shared a video featuring a metal pole adorned with nipple stickers. Avant-Garde Lawyers (AGL) lodged a complaint with Spain's CNMC, asserting that Meta breached the EU's Digital Services Act by failing to offer clear explanations or adequate remedies. AGL's executive director, Andra Matei, highlighted that the legal strategy addresses account terminations under the DSA, raising issues of transparency. Meta has not provided any comments.
Key facts
- Emma Shapiro's Instagram account @nipeople was permanently terminated on 8 December 2025
- The account was suspended after posting a video of a metal pole covered with nipple stickers
- Meta cited violations of Community Standards on account integrity
- Shapiro's appeal was processed through Instagram's one-click in-app process
- AGL filed a complaint with Spain's CNMC under the EU Digital Services Act
- Two procedures: out-of-court dispute via User Rights and complaint before CNMC
- AGL's Andra Matei says the case applies DSA to account termination, not just content removal
- Meta did not respond to a request for comment
Entities
Artists
- Emma Shapiro
Institutions
- Meta
- Avant-Garde Lawyers (AGL)
- Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC)
- User Rights
Locations
- Spain
- United States