Social media is a cornerstone of modern life—nowadays, many communities for niche interests are being fostered online rather than in person. The kratom community is no exception. Over the past many years, Facebook groups, Instagram pages, and Reddit forums became go-to spots for kratom users and curious newcomers to connect, share tips, and offer support.
Recently, however, many of these platforms started putting up roadblocks to kratom discussion. Strict “community guidelines” have begun choking out the vital conversations that kratom consumers used to be able to have online. In many cases, these aren’t just subtle policy tweaks; these are full-on content crackdowns.
So, what’s really going on? Are Meta, TikTok, and other platforms making an honest effort to protect social media users’ safety through kratom censorship? Or are they implementing unfair and misinformed censorship of the kratom community?
Which Platforms Are Censoring Kratom?
Many of the largest social platforms are censoring kratom-related content, including big platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Want to test it for yourself? Go ahead and type “kratom” or “kratom tea” into the search bar on any of these apps. The search results page will likely be empty. Videos, users, businesses, and other types of content will be hidden.
On Facebook and Instagram, you’ll be greeted with a warning that says, “If you see the sale of drugs, please report it.” On TikTok, the current message in response to a search for kratom is “Be informed and aware: Some substances can be dangerous when used or misused. Learn more about how drugs, alcohol and tobacco can affect your mind, body and behavior.” The button below the message takes you to a page about substance support within the TikTok Safety Center.
Content Moderation Double Standards: 7OH, Tobacco, Alcohol, and Others
Oddly, these content restrictions don’t apply evenly across all psychoactive substances. For some search terms like “tobacco,” you’ll see a warning pop up above the litany of search results. For terms like tequila and other alcoholic drinks, you’ll be led to endless streams of content without any warnings.
Another glaring inconsistency is how searches for 7-hydroxymitragynine (7OH) are managed. This alkaloid is found in kratom leaves in trace amounts, but manufacturers have begun synthesizing it to create extremely potent, untested products. Many social media platforms allow searches for 7OH while blocking searches for kratom, highlighting the arbitrary or fragmentary nature of their content restrictions.
One loophole to note: if you’re searching these terms on Facebook or Instagram from a Meta business account, you may actually be able to see content that would be hidden for searches made with personal accounts.
To understand why kratom content is being flagged, let’s take a closer look at these new guidelines.
A Summary of Meta’s Restricted Goods and Services Policy: Where Does Kratom Fit?
Meta’s Restricted Goods and Services policy explains how they choose to ban content (including advertisements) for certain substances and behaviors on Facebook and Instagram. It targets products or services deemed illegal, highly regulated, or potentially harmful.
But here’s a caveat: these rules are based on the Meta employees’ opinions, not what’s actually legal or illegal.
These are the key points of Meta’s Restricted Goods and Services policy:
- Illegal Products and Services: Meta bans content promoting illegal goods and services, including drugs, firearms, explosives, and stolen goods.
- Drugs and Pharmaceuticals: Content related to the sale or distribution of certain drugs is prohibited. This includes “high-risk” drugs, drugs being used for non-medical purposes, prescription medication, entheogens, cannabis, and other controlled substances.
- Health-Related Claims: Meta prohibits users from making exaggerated or misleading health claims, including supplements or treatments that claim unproven health benefits.
- Regulated Goods: Some goods that are legal but highly regulated—like alcohol or tobacco—are subject to strict advertising rules; content related to these goods may be allowed in certain contexts, but with limitations.
- Age Restrictions: Meta restricts ads for products like gambling, adult items, weight loss products, and certain financial services to users over 18 years old.
Enforcement and Exceptions: Meta uses automated tools and user reports to identify and remove content violating these policies. However, there are exceptions for certain types of educational, documentary, or news-related content—as long as they do not promote or encourage the sale or distribution of restricted items.
It’s important to note that these policies are not static. They’re constantly changing as new laws, regulations, and company priorities come into play. Updates happen so frequently that keeping up with them feels like a full-time job. Content that has previously been allowed could suddenly be banned without warning.
Staying up to date on these arbitrary changes is crucial. It’s not just to avoid having content yanked down, but also because, in the world of Meta, being informed is the best way to avoid getting silenced.
Where Does Kratom Fit?
Meta’s community guidelines aim to crack down on the sale and promotion of purported “illegal or harmful” products. So, naturally, the question is: where does kratom fit into this?
The platform is likely lumping kratom into the “Drugs and Pharmaceuticals” category. However, kratom isn’t federally classified as a drug, and most companies sell it as a dietary supplement.
Some kratom-related content also falls under restricted “health-related claims,” because many individuals and vendors make misleading health and medical claims about kratom product benefits.
Regrettably, Meta doesn’t apply this same scrutiny to all dietary supplements that overpromise on health benefits. If kratom is a problem, then why are countless other products—like the endless stream of dubious weight-loss pills, unrealistic exercise routines, and unproven detox teas—allowed to flourish on the platform?
Are New Content Restrictions Making Users Safer? Why Accessible Information Is Better than Prohibition to Enhance Safety
Social media platforms, despite their flaws, can be incredibly valuable—especially for niche communities like kratom users and advocates. For many, these platforms aren’t just a way to post selfies or check in on old friends. They’re lifelines.
Facebook pages and groups in particular can offer connection, support, and access to critical information, free from the biased agendas of news outlets or product-pushing companies. Whether it’s new research, legal updates, or personal success stories, social media has kept the kratom community informed and engaged.
“
Social media platforms, despite their flaws, can be incredibly valuable—especially for niche communities like kratom users and advocates. For many, these platforms aren’t just a way to post selfies or check in on old friends. They’re lifelines.
Of course, it’s no secret that harmful and misleading content can run rampant on social media—including misinformed content about kratom. So in theory, preventing users from viewing this kind of content sounds like a responsible move.
But frequently, what gets flagged as “unsafe” is not harmful in most circumstances. It’s just controversial, or it doesn’t fit the platform’s very narrow definition of what’s acceptable.
Platforms censoring kratom are throwing out the baby with the bathwater. As they try to shut down discussions of potentially dangerous substances, they also censor vital information on how to use kratom safely and legally. This isn’t just an inconvenience; it stifles free speech and discourages informed health decisions.
How Restrictive Policies Harm Consumers by Preventing Political Advocacy
Worse yet, these policies undermine political advocacy related to kratom. Social media censorship of kratom directly impacts advocacy groups fighting for kratom’s legal status and regulation, such as the American Kratom Association and the Global Kratom Coalition, as well as consumer advocates.
Advocacy groups and individual supporters rely on social media to raise awareness, rally support, and engage with their communities. By prohibiting kratom content, social media platforms are actively sabotaging these groups’ efforts to promote research and secure continued access to safe kratom products. Ultimately, this makes it harder for people to get safely produced and well-labeled kratom products.
The reality is that much of the conversation around kratom on social media isn’t about selling it or showing people how to intentionally misuse it. It’s about promoting responsible use, advocating for regulation, and sharing personal stories.
While social media platforms’ new community guidelines position themselves as measures to enhance safety, their prohibitionist and inconsistent applications raise more questions than answers.
Misconceptions and Issues that Have Led to Kratom Being Targeted
So, why has the censorship of kratom content ramped up recently?
Stigmatization from Organizations Outside of the Kratom Community
Well, one major factor is how health organizations (like the FDA) and mainstream news outlets have portrayed kratom. These groups focus on isolated cases of misuse or product adulteration, casting kratom and its consumers in a negative light.
For instance, many news outlets have jumped on sensational headlines about kratom-related overdoses—which are extremely rare and often involve multiple substances or health conditions—while glossing over its benefits or the fact that it’s widely used as a safe and legal supplement by millions of people. As journalists like to say, if it bleeds, it leads.
The biased representation of certain kratom products in mainstream media outlets has contributed to a growing stigma around the kratom community as a whole. Social media platforms seem to have internalized this narrative, shaping their content policies around it.
It’s easy to see how media-driven panic could lead to a crackdown on conversations that could otherwise help people make informed decisions.
Problems that Originate from within the Kratom Community
Another issue stems from within the kratom industry. Unfortunately, there are a number of businesses and individuals that have spread misinformation about kratom online.
The misleading information ranges from relatively innocuous issues, like discussing fabricated strain differences, to more concerning issues, like using unproven medical claims to promote products.
Kratom can have a number of benefits, but it is not an approved medicine, and should not be marketed as a treatment for any disease or serious health condition. Despite this, some companies have employed predatory marketing practices on social media sites, overblowing the potential uses for kratom and failing to discuss any drawbacks.
Individual people have also regrettably shared misleading content about kratom, both positive and negative. They sometimes share secondhand misinformation originating from companies, and other times share personal anecdotes as if they are scientific facts.
These are serious issues, and they shouldn’t be overlooked—but is censorship the solution? How do we resolve these internal and external issues without shutting down conversations altogether?
How Fear of Liability Outweighs Free Speech and Safety
It’s likely that the social media platforms that restrict kratom content are trying to protect themselves from liability. Nevertheless, they blur the line between ensuring safety and stifling free expression. This overreach not only silences kratom discussions but also marginalizes voices speaking up about alternative medicine, mental health, politics, and related issues.
The real problem is a growing trend of censorship, where platforms prioritize liability over open dialogue. They harm smaller communities, such as the kratom user base, which rely on social media to share knowledge and organize. The rush to label any “drug-related” content as unsafe creates a culture of digital gatekeeping, where only well-funded industries or politically connected groups can have a voice.
Platforms need to strike a balance between safety and free speech. Limiting access to information on kratom doesn’t protect anyone—it just silences essential conversations that help people make informed choices. If platforms continue down this path, they will erode free speech and access to reliable information, with consequences far beyond kratom.
Navigating Kratom Censorship: How to Create and Find Kratom Content on Social Media Despite Shadowbans
The kratom community hasn’t given up on social media yet—we’ve just gotten more creative!
When you post about kratom on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok—especially if you promote a particular product—your content might be shadowbanned and your videos might be removed.
Not familiar with shadowbans? Shadowbanning is a sneaky feature where platforms don’t outright delete your posts, but instead, they remove them from public feeds to prevent most people from seeing them. It’s like sending your content into a digital black hole. Your posts won’t show up in searches, feeds, or recommendations, and suddenly, you’re talking to an audience of about… zilch.
So, how do content creators dodge this shady censorship and keep sharing the kratom love? They employ code words and clever emojis and they often avoid advertising particular products.
Instead of using the word “kratom”—because saying or typing out the word in videos and post captions gets flagged by platforms’ automated content moderation systems—you can employ some creative workarounds to keep the conversation alive.
Here are major tips for avoiding a kratom-related shadowban on social media:
- Replace the word “kratom” with a similar word or phrase in text. A leafy green emoji 🍃🌲🌿, kr-tom, k-tea, kr_atom, kr***m, kr@tom, Mitragyna speciosa, speciosa tea, and other similar terms are less likely to get shadowbanned.
- Don’t say the word kratom in your videos. Platforms’ content moderation systems are able to detect the word in speech and shadowban videos even if you don’t spell out the word kratom in text. This issue may be more common for businesses that are sharing images or clips of products than it is for consumers and advocates.
- Don’t try to advertise products. Platforms may be less likely to take down educational videos than take down videos promoting kratom products.
Note that these are just suggestions. Unfortunately following them won’t guarantee that your videos won’t get shadowbanned. Plus, some content is allowed even if it doesn’t follow these suggestions.
Alternative Platforms that Allow Discussion of Kratom without Censorship
Creating content for platforms that are doing everything in their power to take away your voice can be exhausting. If you don’t want to deal with censorship, there are other places you can go to engage in open discussions about kratom.
While social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are doing their best to pretend kratom doesn’t exist, there are still plenty of platforms where you can find kratom-related content—though you might have to step a little outside of your usual social media routine.
Here are platforms that currently allow open discussions of kratom:
- YouTube is a goldmine for kratom information. They call it “YouTube University” for a reason—you can find everything from kratom documentaries to personal stories and user experiences. Sure, it’s a rabbit hole, but one worth diving into if you want to learn about kratom from people who actually use it. One jumping-off point for your deep dive could be The Kratom Channel.
- Reddit is another great option. Not a fan of videos? Prefer reading or engaging in discussions? Subreddits dedicated to kratom are a great place to find real-time advice, personal stories, and updates on the legal status.
- X (formerly Twitter), remains one of the few mainstream platforms where you can still find kratom-related discussions without threat of a ban. Whether you’re looking for the latest legal updates or just want to see the latest kratom news flash across your feed, X is still a valuable resource.
- Double M is an online forum specifically dedicated to kratom. They limit vendors’ ability to self-promote.
- Kratom Real Talk is a private group hosted on a platform called Skool. You can ask your own questions and join group discussions about kratom.
Keep in mind that with the good discussions about kratom on these platforms can also come misinformation, bias, and promotion of personal interests. People within the kratom community are not immune from making mistakes or intentionally misleading others for their own benefit.
Don’t accept everything you read on Reddit and other online forums as fact. On forums with uncensored user-driven content, anyone can post anything. It’s always a good idea to take any advice from strangers on the internet with a healthy dose of discretion.
Other Resources for Kratom Knowledge
If you’re looking to get away from social media altogether, there are plenty of websites, news blogs, podcasts, and documentaries dedicated to kratom where you can find reliable, up-to-date information. These sites often provide news, research, and advocacy updates that social media platforms might be trying to sweep under the rug.
- The Forbidden Leaf: an episode of Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia where Hamilton travels around the US and Thailand to learn about the various ways people use kratom.
- A Leaf of Faith: this documentary film follows weightlifter and filmmaker Chris Bell as he investigates kratom, speaking with scientists, doctors, advocates, and the FDA to uncover the truth about its potential benefits for physical relief and addiction recovery, while also exploring the battle between users, regulators, and the pharmaceutical industry.
- The Better Brewing Blog: Top Tree’s hub for kratom news, science, and culture. All of Top Tree’s reporting on kratom science and legal news comes from primary sources, not ChatGPT (or copying and pasting from other news sites).
So, What Now? How You Can Help Keep Kratom in the Conversation
Frustrated by the censorship of kratom content? Want to know what you can do? You don’t have to just sit there fuming into your mug of kratom tea. Here’s what you can do to fight back and make sure your voice is heard.
- Support Kratom Advocacy Groups: Organizations like the American Kratom Association (AKA) and the Global Kratom Coalition (GKC) are working to protect kratom users and ensure kratom stays legal. Support them by participating in meetings, attending local hearings, donating, or sharing their news and legal updates.
- Write Your Representatives: Sign petitions to keep kratom legal or demand that platforms like TikTok stop censoring it. Contact your state representatives to urge them to protect kratom’s legal status. Politicians care about votes, so make your voice heard.
- Share Your Story: If kratom has helped you, share your experience. Post on alternative platforms or blogs that allow free discussion. Create videos, write posts, or join forums. Back up your content so that it can’t be permanently deleted. If your content gets taken down, try reposting a similar version.
- Push for Better Social Media Policies: Advocate for free speech. Support creators and influencers who speak out on platforms like X (Twitter), Reddit, and YouTube. Report wrongful content removals and let platforms know you oppose overly restrictive guidelines. If you find content that you know is misleading or false, speak up.
- Educate Yourself and Others: Stay informed about kratom’s benefits, risks, and legal status. The more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to challenge misinformation and provide accurate information.
In the fight against kratom censorship, every little effort counts. So, get active! Let’s share, sign, shout, and make sure kratom stays in the conversation.
Conclusion: Keeping the Conversation Open
The issue of kratom censorship on social media isn’t going away anytime soon. But that doesn’t mean we have to sit back and accept it. As platforms tighten their content guidelines, the kratom community must stay informed, engaged, and ready to speak up.
When platforms remove posts with real-world information about kratom, they make it harder for users to navigate an already confusing landscape. This stifles valuable conversations and limits access to much-needed knowledge.
To keep kratom in the conversation, we need to support advocacy groups, share personal stories, and voice concerns about restrictive policies. Even when social media platforms aren’t receptive to these discussions, it’s up to us to find alternative ways to keep the dialogue alive.
