Negation Aspiration vol. 172

In this sense, Instagram’s handling of the Devins photos is exemplary of a wider problem, but Russett says this is a particularly egregious example considering the elements of the case: Devins was an active 4chan user and a so-called “egirl,” or an aspiring influencer who coopted aspects of gaming culture in her Instagram persona, which has prompted many 4chan trolls to viciously mock her and share memes about her death. “There’s so much more violence and abuse around gamer girls than others it seems,” she says. The fact that Instagram’s community guidelines specifically make room for violent content when it’s explicitly intended to “condemn, raise awareness or educate” others about violence has also seemingly created a loophole for trolls to share the images: many captions accompanying the posts make reference to wanting to raise awareness of Devins’ death, in the same breath as joking about it or requesting more followers. 
 

Why Are 

Gruesome 

Photos of a 

Murdered 

17-Year-Old Girl 

Still All Over 

Instagram?

The platform’s handling 

of the Bianca Devins case 

is arguably reflective 

of a wider problem