Meta has banned influencer Andrew Tate from its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. The former kickboxer and self-described misogynist was removed for violating Meta policies “on dangerous organisations and individuals,” the company confirmed to The Guardian.
Andrew Tate rose to prominence on social media after starring the UK reality TV show Big Brother in 2016. His stint on the show ended when a video of Tate hitting a woman with a belt emerged online.
The following year, he faced backlash again – this time for saying that women should “bear some responsibility” for being raped. The comment led to Twitter banning him permanently from the platform.
Tate has since frequently come under fire for his sexist takes and problematic social media posts which have been described as “extremely misogynistic.” At the same time, his social media following has grown – the 35-year-old had more than 4.7 million followers on Instagram at the time his account was removed.
Prominent charities have also called for Tate to be banned from TikTok while expressing concerns about the wide reach of his videos that promote misogyny.
In his videos, Tate styles himself as a “cigar-smoking playboy” and talks about hitting women, reports ABC News. In one YouTube video, he described himself as “absolutely a misogynist.”
Responding to Meta’s ban, the former kickboxer said his account was taken down because of old videos “where I was playing a comedic character” were “taken out of context.”
“I have nothing but positivity to spread regarding all people, whether male or female, and this has been reflected in all of my recent messaging and posts,” he said in a statement to ABC News.
Tate reiterated his explanation to The Guardian, saying that many of his videos were parody in which he was “playing a comedic character”.
“Internet sensationalism has purported the idea that I am anti women when nothing could be further from the truth,” he said, also pointing out he had donated to women’s welfare charities.
