London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 21, 2026

Andrew Tate banned from Facebook and Instagram

Andrew Tate banned from Facebook and Instagram

Meta has banned influencer Andrew Tate from Facebook and Instagram for violating its policies.

The former kickboxer rose to fame in 2016 when he was removed from TV show Big Brother over a video which appeared to depict him attacking a woman.

He went on to gain notoriety online, with Twitter banning him for saying women should "bear responsibility" for being sexually assaulted.

He had 4.7 million Instagram followers at the time his account was removed.

That number had grown rapidly from around one million followers in June.

Meta said it had removed the kickboxing star from its platforms for violating its policies on dangerous organisations and individuals but did not provide further details.

At the time of his removal from Big Brother, Mr Tate said the video had been edited, calling it "a total lie trying to make me look bad".

He has not yet commented on the Meta ban.


Analysis


By Marianna Spring, disinformation and social media correspondent

Andrew Tate's videos - promoting misogyny and targeting women - have come to prominence this summer with many teens commenting on just how much he's appearing on their social media feeds.

His content has raised concerns about the real-world effect it could have, especially on the younger users exposed to it during their school holidays when they have time on their hands.

The focus has been primarily on TikTok, where users say they've been readily served up his videos - sparking a new wave of videos commenting on and criticising Mr Tate's content. YouTube has also found itself under pressure since it's where he has racked up millions of views.

I revealed how social media sites promote anti-women hate for BBC Panorama. The investigations exposed how some platforms' algorithms were recommending more and more misogyny to a troll account.

Since then, several sites have made commitments to better protect female users. But, once again, questions are being raised about the role social media sites play in pushing anti-women content.


'A genuine threat to young men'


He has drawn criticism online for his comments, particularly from UK advocacy group Hope Not Hate, which welcomed the most recent ban.

Joe Mulhall, director of research at the group, said Mr Tate "poses a genuine threat to young men, radicalising them towards extremism misogyny, racism and homophobia".

He added: "We've provided significant evidence to the major social media platforms, including Meta, about his activity and why he must be removed.

"We welcome Meta's swift action to remove Andrew Tate and we'll be putting pressure on TikTok to follow this example. They must act now to prevent further spread of these extremist views."

A TikTok spokesperson told the BBC: "Misogyny is a hateful ideology that is not tolerated on TikTok.

"We've been removing violative videos and accounts for weeks, and we welcome the news that other platforms are also taking action against this individual."


'Absolutely a misogynist'


Videos about Mr Tate have proved popular across social media platforms, particularly on TikTok where videos using the #AndrewTate hashtag have been viewed more than 12.7 billion times.

But this number represents not just videos of Tate and his supporters - it also includes videos made by people criticising the influencer.

And on YouTube, some of his most popular videos have had millions of views.

In one video, during which he was interviewed by another YouTuber, he said he was "absolutely a misogynist", adding: "I'm a realist and when you're a realist you're sexist. There's no way you can be rooted in reality and not be sexist."

Later in the same video he called women "intrinsically lazy" and said there was "no such thing as an independent female".

In a different video, Mr Tate said: "If I have responsibility over her, then I must have a degree of authority."

He added: "You can't be responsible for a dog if it doesn't obey you."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Confirms Preferential U.S. Trading Terms Will Continue After Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
U.S. and U.K. to Hold Talks on Diego Garcia as Iran Objects to Potential Military Use
UK Officials Weigh Possible Changes to Prince Andrew’s Position in Line of Succession Amid Ongoing Scrutiny
British Police Probe Epstein’s UK Airport Links and Expand High-Profile Inquiries
United Kingdom Denies U.S. Access to Military Base for Potential Iran Strike
British Co-founder of ASOS falls to his death from Pattaya apartment
Early 2026 Data Suggests Tentative Recovery for UK Businesses and Households
UK Introduces Digital-First Passport Rules for Dual Citizens in Border Control Overhaul
Unable to Access Live Financial Data for January UK Surplus Report
UK Government Considers Law to Remove Prince Andrew from Royal Line of Succession
UK ‘Working Closely with US’ to Assess Impact of Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
Trump Criticises UK Decision to Restrict Use of Bases in Potential Iran Strike Scenario
UK Foreign Secretary and U.S. State Chief Hold Strategic Talks as Tensions Rise Over Joint Air Base
Two teens arrested in France for alleged terror plot.
Nordic Fracture: How Criminal Scandals and Toxic Ties are Dismantling the Norwegian Crown
US Supreme Court Voids Trump’s Emergency Tariff Plan, Reshaping Trade Power and Fiscal Risk
King Charles III Opens London Fashion Week as Royal Family Faces Fresh Scrutiny
Trump’s Evolving Stance on UK Chagos Islands Deal Draws Renewed Scrutiny
House Democrat Says Former UK Ambassador Unable to Testify in Congressional Epstein Inquiry
No Record of Prince Andrew Arrest in UK as Claims Circulate Online
UK Has Not Granted US Approval to Launch Iran Strikes from RAF Bases, Government Confirms
AI Pricing Pressure Mounts as Chinese Models Undercut US Rivals and Margin Risks Grow
Global Counsel, Advisory Firm Co-Founded by Lord Mandelson, Enters Administration After Client Exodus
London High Court dispute over Ricardo Salinas’s $400mn Elektra share-backed bitcoin loan
UK Intensifies Efforts to Secure Saudi Investment in Next-Generation Fighter Jet Programme
Former Student Files Civil Claim Against UK Authorities After Rape Charges Against Peers Are Dropped
Archer Aviation Chooses Bristol for New UK Engineering Hub to Drive Electric Air Taxi Expansion
UK Sees Surge in Medical Device Testing as Government Pushes Global Competitiveness
UK Competition Watchdog Flags Concerns Over Proposed Getty Images–Shutterstock Merger
Trump Reasserts Opposition to UK Chagos Islands Proposal, Urges Stronger Strategic Alignment
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis advocates for a ban on minors using social media.
Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash Accuses Prime Minister of Lying to Australians
Meanwhile in Time Square, NYC One of the most famous landmarks
Jensen Huang just told the story of how Elon Musk became NVIDIA’s very first customer for their powerful AI supercomputer
A Lunar New Year event in Taiwan briefly came to a halt after a temple official standing beside President Lai Ching‑te suddenly vomited, splashing Lai’s clothing
Jillian Michaels reveals Bill Gates’ $55 million investment in mRNA vaccines turned into over $1 billion.
Ex-Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrested
Former British Prince Andrew Arrested on Suspicion of Misconduct in Public Office
Four Chagos Islanders Establish Permanent Settlement on Atoll
Unitree Robotics founder Wang Xingxing showcases future robot deployment during Spring Festival Gala.
UK Inflation Slows Sharply in January, Strengthening Case for Bank of England Rate Cut
Hide the truth, fake the facts, pretend the opposite, Britain is as usual
France President Macron says Free Speech is Bull Sh!t
Viktor Orbán getting massive praise for keeping Hungary safe, rich and migrant-free!
UK Inflation Falls to Ten-Month Low, Markets Anticipate Interest Rate Cut
UK House Prices Climb 2.4% in December as Market Shows Signs of Stabilisation
BAE Systems Predicts Sustained Expansion as Defence Orders Reach Record High
Pro-Palestine Activists Cleared of Burglary Charges Over Break-In at UK Israeli Arms Facility
Former Reform UK Councillors Form New Local Group Amid Party Fragmentation
Reform UK Pledges to Retain Britain’s Budget Watchdog as It Seeks Broader Economic Credibility
×