Google Blogger to Stop Publishing of Sexually-Explicit Content

Google's popular blogging platform Blogger has announced that from March 23, user blogs will no longer be allowed to publish adult content. Sexually explicit images and video will no longer be permitted on any Blogger pages henceforth.

Not only will this affect any new blogs, but older blogs too will have to toe the line. After the cut-off date, all blogs that have published adult content will be forcibly turned into private blogs, with Blogger warning users to delete any explicit content before March 23 to avoid being forced to go private.

Blogger's old policy allowed adult content (barring illegal content, of course), provided the blog was listed as 'Adult'. Google mentioned in its Blogger content policy that censoring adult content "is contrary to a service that bases itself on freedom of expression." It is therefore strange that Google has now decided to do the exact opposite.

The service, as clarified in the 'Adult content policy on Blogger' page, will still allow for nudity, provided the content "offers a substantial public benefit, for example in artistic, educational, documentary, or scientific contexts." Decisions on whether content fall within these categories is, however, with Google, and at its discretion, and the blog will still need to carry a warning stating that it is displaying content that is graphic in nature.

Wordpress and Tumblr both still allow explicit content, so it is possible for users to use a service like Google Takeout to export content.

Whatever be the case, 23 March will mark the end of public adult blogs on Blogger.