Instagram is restricting knifemakers — how will it impact the knife market?
Instagram’s latest round of changes is imposing limits on accounts related to knifemaking, including knifesmiths but also professional sharpeners, polishers, and related. Beginning November 17th, the social media giant reached out to the majority of these accounts, announcing their content would no longer be shown to non-followers.
Representing a sudden reversal of its professed support for small business communities, it is not yet clear whether Instagram’s newest move represents a long-term policy shift. Since the messaging provides appeals, the restrictions could simply be unintended collateral damage from a campaign against enforcing platform rules against the sale of weapons. However, the scale and lack of response from the platform thus far suggests this is unlikely.
[Regarding] the appeals you can do nothing cause they don’t check it, just how they handle reports in general…I reported everything from literal Nazi Propaganda through straight up porn and scams, usually you either get “we don’t have the capacity to actually check” or “we didn’t find anything wrong with our decision” after like three weeks
- Jonathan of Hopwood Goods
What does Instagram’s new policy mean for the kitchen knife market?
The immediate reaction from the professional community has been one of surprise and disappointment. Perhaps the gravest threat this policy represents is the inability to reach new and existing customers. Indeed, many craftspeople don’t have business websites, instead relying on Meta’s photo sharing platform as their primary online presence.
Milan Gravier, a French knifemaker writes:
Censoring content must be a well thought act. Most of us use Instagram as our first communication tool and being censored can make our business in difficulty. I don’t know yet how this can be solved but I hope @instagram can finally have a deeper look at the situation and solve this issue.
- Milan Gravier Coutelier, November 18th
Finding new customers is a critical tool for knifemakers as their business cannot rely solely on existing customers —high-end kitchen knives are made to last a lifetime. For many, a world without Instagram is one where their business cannot continue. Should the restrictions continue, it seems likely that the knife market will see a dramatic reduction in active sellers and austerity among those who remain behind.
Update November 19th 10:10 AM EST: Many accounts are reporting that appealing Instagram’s decision reverses the restrictions, at least for now.
