In August 2022, Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee caused a major stir by posting a full-frontal nude photo on his social media accounts. The incident became a significant pop culture moment, sparking debates over online censorship and social media's community guidelines. Timeline of the Incident
Many users and critics, such as those cited by NPR and PinkNews , pointed out that images of women or trans and non-binary individuals are often censored or removed almost instantly for minor "indecency". In August 2022, Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee
After the original post was taken down, Lee reposted the same image in the form of a multicolored painting . Under Meta’s guidelines, artistic depictions of nudity are often permitted where photographic ones are not. After the original post was taken down, Lee
During a Mötley Crüe concert in San Antonio, Texas, Lee explained to the audience that he posted the photo while on a "bender" during a two-week break from tour. The Social Media Controversy The Social Media Controversy The original photo remained
The original photo remained visible for approximately four to five hours before being removed by Meta for violating nudity rules.
While Meta removed the photo, it remained viewable on Twitter (now X) due to the platform's more permissive policy toward adult content, provided it is marked as sensitive.
Lee shared a graphic selfie on Instagram and Facebook showing him sitting on the edge of a bathtub. He captioned the photo with a simple "Ooooopppsss" .