Google Bans Porn From Blogger Based Blogs

This blog uses Google's Blogger platform.  Many other blogs that I follow do so as well.  Today, Google announced that it will ban "pornography" from blogs utilizing Blogger.  I've received no notice from Google and feel confident that this blog will continue unaffected by this new policy.  Some years ago, I did a poll of readers and by a vote of 70% to 30% readers wanted the male beauty photos to continue as a daily feature.  Sadly, some of the blogs from which I source my "male beauty" images may not fare as well given some of their racier content  The irony is that blogs with "pornography" get far higher traffic volumes than those that try to offer serious content. Here are details on Google's announcement from CNN Money:

In an announcement that was sent out to bloggers who use the company's blogging website, Google (GOOGL, Tech30) said people will no longer be able to "publicly share images and video that are sexually explicit or show graphic nudity" on Blogger as of March 23. 

Google said those Blogger sites that continue to host pornography after March 23 will be made "private." That means the content will be allowed to remain up, but it will only be accessible to the site's owner and the people who the user directly shared the blog with.

Google noted that it isn't completely banning nudity from being shown publicly on Blogger. The site will allow nudity "if the content offers a substantial public benefit, for example in artistic, educational, documentary, or scientific contexts." 

But it also puts Google in the position of deciding what is art and what is pornography -- a decision that Instagram and other sites have struggled with.

Blogger previously allowed adult content on its sites, but it required users to mark their blogs as "adult." Those Blogger sites came with an "adult content" warning that would appear before a visitor could enter the site.

It's unclear how many sites will be affected by the new rules. Google did not respond to a request for comment.

In July, Google stopped porn from appearing in its online ads. And in 2013, Google decided to remove blogs from its Blogger network that contained advertisements for online porn sites. 

 Look for more "artistic" male beauty photos as time goes by.