Google caves to porn providers on Blogger platform
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (Christian Examiner) – Porn purveyors forced the tech giant Google to back peddle on its plan to ban explicit content from its Blogger network last week.
Google announced Feb. 23 it would remove pornographic materials from public searches and make them only privately available as of March 23. The change would have made the adult content accessible only to bloggers and invited viewers.
But by Feb. 26 the company reversed its decision and announced they would not change the policy after the platform's users claimed Google's actions censored their ability to "express their identities." Others simply complained it was unfair to change the policy so suddenly.
A statement on Blogger's help forum noted the retreat due to "lots of feedback" received on the issue.
"This week, we announced a change to Blogger's porn policy stating that blogs that distributed sexually explicit images or graphic nudity would be made private," the statement read.
"We've received lots of feedback about making a policy change that impacts longstanding blogs, and about the negative impact this could have on individuals who post sexually explicit content to express their identities."
Now Google claims it will steer its focus on better maintaing existing policies which require authors to activate an adult content setting that triggers a warning page with a check box where readers must confirm they are at least age 18. Commercial porn continues to be prohibited.
According to LifeSiteNews, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation initially praised Google on the decision to make pornographic content private on the Blogger platform.
Now NCSE president Pat Trueman says Google's cave on the issue could cause a dangerous domino effect on other safeguards.
"Many complained that Google's new no porn policy was a violation of their freedom of expression, but we steadfastly maintain that the freedom of expression does not include the freedom to exploit," Trueman told LifeSiteNews.
"Now, we are concerned that Google may backtrack on other policies that were designed to curb sexual exploitation, such as its prohibition on pornography advertising and its elimination of sexually exploitative apps from Google Play."
As pornography and mature content becomes increasingly public and widely accepted by desensitized readers, organizations like NCSE find support in both religious communities and secular companies that warn against the negative impact of regularly taking in the sexual content.
Growing concers and opposition for the industry can even be found in publications like GQ, Vice and New York Magazine. All have published articles about pornography's negative effects.
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