Kanye West, or Ye as he’s more commonly referred to, is well-known for causing drama. He has incited antisemitic tropes on social media and even spoken highly of Adolf Hitler during an appearance on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’s Infowars show.
Ye recently accused record producer Sean “Diddy” Combs of being controlled by Jews, and since then, Twitter and Instagram have both locked his accounts.
Twitter Restricts Kanye West’s Account
After being criticized for his neo-Nazi comments, Ye has been banned from both Twitter and Instagram. These social media platforms cite West’s posts as violating their policies against hateful conduct as well as breaching their terms of service; their ban will only be lifted once West no longer violates these rules.
Social media sites quickly took action against Kanye West after he posted an Instagram picture featuring an inverted swastika and Star of David Thursday evening, following his appearance on Alex Jones’s Infowars show and public declaration of support for Adolf Hitler. As a result, several companies, including Adidas and Balenciaga, severed ties with him as a result of this act of rebellion.
Instagram removed content from Ye’s page and restricted his account, according to a Meta spokesperson who spoke with Billboard. A banned user can still access their account but cannot like or comment on posts, according to Instagram policy violations. Restrictions are placed only in cases of repeated offense.
Twitter did not immediately respond to our request for comment; however, the site has already placed restrictions on other high-profile users, such as conservative pundit Andrew Klavan and anti-LGBTQ activist Laura Lopes. Furthermore, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, as well as National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre, have both had their accounts suspended or banned by Twitter.
Ye’s ban follows an ongoing series of controversies that has alienated even his most avid supporters. Early this year, he suggested slavery was a choice and described the COVID-19 vaccine as the “mark of the beast,” prompting an outcry among anti-racist activists. Later, he wore a shirt bearing the phrase “White Lives Matter” at his fashion show in Paris in October, prompting further outrage from these same activists. Additionally, he has been criticized for suggesting black people weren’t treated relatively under the justice system and for making comments regarding Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson, who are both in new relationships, yet how this ban will impact his musical career remains unclear.
Instagram Restricts Kanye West’s Account
Kanye West’s account on Instagram’s parent company, Meta, has been restricted after posting content deemed anti-Semitic by many users. A spokesperson confirmed this action by Instagram’s parent company, Meta, and did not specify which posts violated its rules and guidelines. Furthermore, such measures are taken against accounts that repeatedly breach them to keep users from sharing posts, commenting, and sending direct messages through them.
West, who legally changed to Ye, was banned from social media in March for posting offensive and hateful material online that targeted Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson, and Trevor Noah from The Daily Show – among others. His account was later restored after publicly apologizing and promising to be more mindful moving forward.
Ye recently made headlines after sharing an offensive post, which many saw as antisemitic. According to reports, this message – believed to have been sent directly to Sean “Diddy” Combs – appeared to suggest that Jews control Combs. Later that week, during an appearance on Fox News’s Tucker Carlson Tonight show, the rapper further inflamed controversy when he made accusations that Jared Kushner, the White House adviser and son of a rabbi, brokered Israeli treaties for financial gain.
Meta’s spokesperson reported to NBC News that this latest incident had been determined as violating their platform’s community guidelines and terms of service, with violations taking place against both. They took these violations very seriously and pledged their commitment to working closely with partners and communities alike in upholding our standards in supporting them.
Ye took to Twitter in response to his Instagram ban in order to criticize it and share a teaser for what appears to be his 2024 political campaign – as well as taking shots at Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg – using @Ye. These tweets were met with strong public and celebrity opposition.
Kanye West’s Twitter Account Was Locked for Violations of Twitter’s Policies
Kanye West ran into difficulty with Instagram and Twitter after sending out several antisemitic tweets that the companies determined violated their policies. Instagram, owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Meta, removed on Saturday a post in which the artist legally changed to Ye, claiming he would soon die while professing hatred toward Jewish people. Meanwhile, Twitter, which counts West as one of its 32.2 million followers, locked his account, saying he had violated its policies.
Twitter did not address specific violations but instead pointed to its policies regarding hate speech and other issues as the basis for action taken against the West. “No excuse exists for spreading classic antisemitism about Jewish power or making threats of violence against others, particularly with his platform,” stated their statement. CNN attempted to reach a representative for West but received no reply.
Last year, Twitter reinstated West’s account after he pledged not to use it to spread antisemitic or hateful sentiments. However, after posting an image that seemed to show an anti-Semitic symbol inside of a Star of David symbol on Instagram feed this month – following public outrage and members of Congress writing letters addressed directly to Twitter/Instagram CEO – West was again banned by them earlier this month and his account temporarily frozen again by them.
Even after his controversial tweet, West has made headlines with other statements and comments. These have included suggesting slavery was a choice and labeling COVID-19 vaccination “the mark of the beast.” Additionally, this week, he donned a white “Make America Great Again” cap at a fashion show, prompting criticism from Black Lives Matter activists and other public figures.
West’s controversy-fuelled fall from grace has caused several of his supporters to break ties. Tidal recently ended their partnership with him due to what it describes as inappropriate content, and one company offering high-end headphones has discontinued his products altogether.
Twitter Restricts Kanye West’s Instagram Account
Twitter has confirmed to CBS News that they have locked his account due to violations of their policies; however, no specific violations were listed as reasons. Instagram had earlier removed content and restricted his account for being anti-Semitic.
Ye referred in one since-deleted post to an exchange between him and Sean “Diddy” Combs in which the rapper suggested that Sean was under control by Jews, an accusation the American Jewish Committee and others have condemned as anti-Semitic. Instagram/Twitter owner Meta can place restrictions on accounts it considers violators, temporarily barring them from posting, commenting, or sending direct messages.
Meta did not offer details regarding what content had been removed but did state that accounts that repeatedly break their rules or guidelines could face restrictions from Instagram. Unfortunately, Meta did not disclose how long such statements might remain restricted.
West turned to Instagram when Twitter decided not to reinstate his account and to express his displeasure with their decision. In a since-deleted post, West claimed that Jewish people had “trick[ed]” him. Additionally, his tweet included #Blockchain, which has become popular with pro-Trump supporters to demonstrate their opposition to the blockchain cryptocurrency Bitcoin.
West later responded on Twitter by writing, “I refuse to use the term ‘Judeo’ for myself or my people.” He included a photo of himself holding up a sign that read, “Ye cannot be antisemitic; he created cancel culture.”
Uncertain is how long Twitter’s restrictions will remain in effect and when, or if, the rapper will regain access. He currently maintains two other social accounts – Facebook with over 31 million fans, and Elon Musk-backed X – as backup. Twitter had locked his account due to content violating their guidelines, according to its message on its page.
