Introduction

“Deleted in 2020” is a collection of images submitted by Instagram users. It is part of an experimental and evolving series of exhibits.

Initially, Virtualgoodsdealer experimented with showcasing independent designers and creators. Then, we created Virtualgoodsdealer Pages with a focus on publishing non-physical media. One of our many goals for Virtualgoodsdealer Pages is to demonstrate examples of self-developed interactive digital experiences outside of large social media platforms.

We approached “Deleted in 2020” with the intent to document and archive the images that Instagram removes from its platform. This was an experiment for us as well as an opportunity for our larger community to display content they couldn’t share on Instagram.

 

Collection Method

Virtualgoodsdealer posted an open call from Dec. 11, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020. We received a total of 174 images from 94 individuals. Submissions of image files were collected through email. Each image was posted by the submitter in 2020 and then deleted by Instagram’s moderation system.

 

Limitations

Since we did not include a list of requirements in this open call, we chose to include nearly all the submissions we received as part of this collection. The images and commentary in this exhibit do not necessarily reflect the views or beliefs of Virtualgoodsdealer.

 

Future Goals

We do not believe this exhibit is an accurate representation of the people whose voices are most marginalized by big tech platforms. The data set for this exhibit was heavily influenced by the people who chose to participate in our open call. In the future, we will work to proactively reach a more diverse audience through our open calls.