Google's banning sexually explicit content from its blogging platform

Many X-rated Blogger accounts might cease to exist in the near future, as Google will no longer allow anyone to post sexually explicit or nude videos and images starting on March 23rd, 2015. It doesn't end there, though: Mountain View also wants old account owners to delete any content that violates that rule, or else it will forcibly make those blogs private (all posts will only be visible to owners) after the aforementioned date. Blogger's current content policy allows visuals that show nudity and sexual activities (barring illegal ones like bestiality) so long as the blog is marked "adult." Censoring those types of entries, according to the policy, "is contrary to a service that bases itself on freedom of expression." Google has yet to reveal why it had a sudden change of heart.

Despite the impending censorship, the service will still allow nudity "if the content offers a substantial public benefit, for example in artistic, educational, documentary, or scientific contexts." Whether your content falls under any of those categories, however, depends on Google. If you're severely unhappy about the change, you can export your blog as an .xml file and back it up via Google Takeout to make the switch to WordPress or Tumblr (which both allow explicit posts within reason) easier. Those old accounts with adult content might not be completely lost to the internet, though. Internet Archive's Jason Scott has announced that his team will be backing up Blogger accounts, but it will be tough, because they don't know what Google will be making private until it's already gone.

[Image credit: Shutterstock / ssuaphotos]