San Francisco, Feb 20 (IANS): Meta-owned Instagram reinstated adult website Pornhub account on the platform in "error" on Sunday for a few hours but then shut it down again.

The company said that Pornhub's Instagram account came back online for a few hours Sunday -- but that was a mistake, reports 'Variety'.

"This was done in error, a Meta spokesperson was quoted as saying.

"As we've said previously, we permanently disabled this Instagram account for repeatedly violating our policies," it added.

In September last year, Instagram permanently disabled the account of Pornhub for repeatedly violating its policies.

Pornhub defended its position, stating that those in the adult industry "have for years been undermined by Instagram's opaque, discriminatory and hypocritical enforcement of its own Terms and Policies".

Moreover, a representative from Pornhub stated that "within hours of reinstating our Instagram account, Meta has demonstrated that its policies have no rhyme or reason when they deactivated our account again, despite not violating any guidelines. This comes at a time of increased censorship and discrimination against performers in the adult space when platforms like Instagram should be inclusive and provide safe communities for creators to express themselves".

"Instead, Meta and Instagram's haphazard and irrational enforcement of their policies place undue hardships on the livelihoods of those in the adult industry, an already marginalised group. We call on Meta to once again reverse its decision," it added.

In December last year, YouTube banned Pornhub's channel due to multiple community guidelines violations.

According to Google, Pornhub's account violated YouTube's external link policy, which forbids users from linking to content that is not allowed on the platform such as pornography.