Google: Blogger Off

Google is banning public explicit photos and videos from its blogging service Blogger, and giving affected users just one month to comply.

The new rules require any blog with “sexually explicit or graphic nude images or video” to take them down by 23 March, or the blog will be made private by Google. A private blog can only be seen by the owner or admins of the blog, and people who the owner has shared the blog with.

Google promises that the majority of users of the service, which Google acquired from Twitter co-founder Evan Williams’ Pyra Labs in 2003, won’t see any change from the new rules. But many users are concerned that the new rules represent a huge about-turn from Google’s previously stated support of explicit material on its platform. 

The company’s previous policy said: “We do allow adult content on Blogger, including images or videos that contain nudity or sexual activity … All blogs marked as ‘adult’ will be placed behind an ‘adult content’ warning interstitial.” Its only exceptions were to ban illegal explicit content, explicit images shared without the subject’s consent (commonly known as “revenge porn”) and making money on adult content...

The Guardian.

Oh for buttfuck's sake!

Do Google really expect me to go back and check through nearly five years worth of posts?

I'm pretty sure the only 'sexually explicit or graphic nude image' I've ever published was this one of Hunx sporting an erection.

I've now doctored it in haste to save the world's morals, and in case any convent schoolgirls stumble across my humble blog.

If Google can find any more, please let me know.

Google say they'll still allow some forms of nudity “if the content offers a substantial public benefit, for example in artistic, educational, documentary, or scientific contexts.”

I think this covers my (metaphorical) arse.

Update: Google appear to have reversed on this and allowed nuddy pics.