Instagram Deplatforms Director of Netflix's Pornhub Documentary 'Money Shot'

Instagram Deplatforms Director of Netflix's Pornhub Documentary 'Money Shot'

LOS ANGELES — Instagram disabled the account of filmmaker Suzanne Hillinger this morning, only a week after her documentary “Money Shot” premiered on Netflix.

Hillinger’s ban follows the deplatforming of performer Gwen Adora, who is prominently featured in the documentary providing testimony about her experiences as a sex worker trying to have a presence online.

Adora’s Instagram account was disabled March 15, the same day “Money Shot” premiered.

As XBIZ reported, a top executive for NCOSE, the religiously inspired anti-porn lobby formerly known as Morality in Media, bragged earlier this month that members of the organization have “met regularly” with Meta executives responsible for Instagram moderation.

Hillinger told XBIZ that having researched the issue of social media discrimination while making “Money Shot,” she is “extremely familiar” with Meta’s community guidelines and terms of service. 

“I know that I did not violate these rules in any way,” she said. “Last night I posted a story on my private Instagram account writing about how proud I was that we were able to make a film that resonated with audiences and ‘told a nuanced story that gave agency and respect to sex workers without exploiting them, and without exploiting survivors of non-consensual material.’ It was mostly a tribute post to my editor, Alexis Johnson, for doing such a tremendous job with such care.”

Hillinger also cited in her post a comment that performer Siri Dahl, who appears in the documentary, made during an interview for a recent XBIZ article: “So many people are having conversations about sex work and porn that they never would have had without this film.”

Instagram's Vague and Arbitrary Policies

Given that her Instagram account is private, Hillinger speculated that it was suspended for one of two reasons.

“Either an automated flagging system was triggered by my writing the words ‘agency’ and ‘sex workers’ in the same sentence; or else strangers mass-reported my account because they do not like that ‘Money Shot’ provided a mainstream platform for sex workers to talk about how attacks on their industry has affected them,” she said. 

Hillinger added that while making “Money Shot,” she anticipated potentially facing situations like this.

“I knew that there would likely be a target on my back for making a film for Netflix for millions of people to see, that tried to destigmatize online sex work, and for calling attention to the many ways that sex workers are censored and discriminated against on the internet,” she shared. “While a suspension on Instagram was not something I expected to experience, I am not surprised given how many folks in the sex work community get the same exact treatment everyday.”

Meta and Instagram routinely deplatform adult performers and other sex workers by suspending or banning their accounts, alleging violations of the company's vague “sexual solicitation” policy. That policy, borrowed from archaic anti-sex work laws and imprecisely adapted to the online space by terms of service drafters, has been sharply criticized even by the company’s own Oversight Board.

As XBIZ reported, the Oversight Board last month recommended that Meta “clarify its public-facing Sexual Solicitation policy and narrow its internal enforcement guidance.”

XBIZ reached out to Meta/Instagram, but received no comment about the suspiciously timed deactivation of Hillinger’s and Adora’s accounts.

.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

TrustyFans Introduces New Blog

Creator directory TrustyFans has introduced an official blog to its site, titled "From Hidden to Hype."

Romi Rain Fronts Latest From New Sensations

Romi Rain and Codey Steele star in the latest release from New Sensations.

JD Directs New Grazyeli Silva Showcase

Evil Angel has released JD’s Grazyeli Silva showcase, titled "Grazyeli Silva Sexcapades."

Heidi Jo Makes Her WIFEY Debut

Heidi Jo stars with her husband Jerri, Isiah Maxwell, and Hollywood Cash in the latest release from Vixen Media Group studio imprint WIFEY.

Anna Claire Clouds Leads Elegant Angel's 'Shared: A Hotwife Origin Story'

Reigning XMAs Female Performer of the Year Anna Claire Clouds stars in Elegant Angel's new feature thriller "Shared: A Hotwife Origin Story," part of the site's annual "Superstar September" initiative.

Gender X Drops 'Vampirella' Parody

Gender X Films has released its latest feature, "Transpirella," a parody of the 1970s sci-fi horror comic book "Vampirella," directed by Jim Powers.

JustFor.fans' Dominic Ford Featured in Wired Magazine

JustFor.fans Founder and CEO Dominic Ford is featured in a new article in Wired Magazine, titled "The Internet Revolutionized Porn. Age Verification Could Upend Everything."

Dr. Charlotte Gaydos Joins ProDx Health Advisory Board

Dr. Charlotte Gaydos has joined the Advisory Board of ProDx Health.

Aylo Fined $5 Million as FTC, Utah Settle Safety Practices Complaint

The Federal Trade Commission and the state of Utah on Wednesday settled a complaint against Aylo, requiring the company to pay a $5 million penalty and implement measures to prevent illegal content from appearing on its sites.

New AI Companion Platform 'Pornstar.love' Launches

Pornstar.love, a new AI companion platform, has officially launched.

Show More