Florence Pugh Says Instagram Censored Her Post About Cornell Assault Case

Instagram Content Warnings and Blocks on Pugh’s Posts

Pugh initially published a post condemning the alleged October 2024 sexual assault at Cornell University, describing the incident as a horrific act and urging men to lead conversations addressing sexual violence. Instagram covered that initial post with a content warning stating it contained material some users might find upsetting.

“I’m able to come here and talk about it in real life, even though, sadly, Instagram censored me when I said it, which is also just another shock that women are censored, even when they go through these things, they can’t talk about it,” Pugh said during her appearance on The View.

Details of the Cornell University Lawsuit

The controversy stems from an ongoing lawsuit filed by a female student accusing seven male fraternity members at Cornell University of drugging and gang raping her in October 2024. The plaintiff is suing her alleged assailants, their fraternity, Cornell University, and her former sorority. According to the plaintiff’s attorney, the university’s initial disciplinary investigation resulted in the expulsion of two accused students, while the remaining students received lesser sanctions including temporary suspensions, workshops, or essay-writing assignments.

Co-host Sara Haines brought up the allegations during the segment, noting that some of the accused individuals have denied any wrongdoing and that the legal case remains pending. Pugh emphasized the visceral fear surrounding sexual violence, telling the audience, “Rape is something that lives. The fear of it lives in our bodies, and when stories like this come out and it’s really not picked up in the way that you hope it’s picked up, it makes me feel scared, it makes me feel anxious, it made me feel so much rage.”

Broader Celebrity Response on Social Media

Pugh’s posts amplified an online movement focused on the defendants, who have been collectively referred to online as the “Cornell 7.” Several other high-profile figures utilized social media platforms to condemn the accused students and criticize the university’s handling of the allegations. Actor Hudson Williams shared a photo of the seven men on his Instagram story with the caption “Arrest them,” while Mariska Hargitay posted a statement via her Joyful Heart Foundation declaring that Cornell failed to protect its students.