Google decision comes under fire from internet users

Madrid, February 26

The Internet Users Associations has condemned Google's decision to forbid users of its Blogger platform to share images and videos of "explicitly" sexual content as an attack on freedom of expression.

Starting March 23, users of the Blogger platform cannot share images and videos of "explicitly" sexual content, although Google will allow naked pictures if these are published for the public benefit, for example in artistic, educational, documentary or scientific contexts.

The Internet Users Associations Wednesday, describing the decision as a form of "censorship" and an attack on freedom of expression, strongly criticised the change in Google's privacy policy.

According to this new rule, users who have a blog with pornographic material will automatically see it made private, starting March 23, Google noted on its "support" page.

Users will not lose their information, nor will it be removed, but access to the banned material will be limited only to the page's administrator and certain users they share the content with.

In other words, they will no longer be public.

In the case of newly-created blogs, specifically those that are started after March 23, Google's new terms of privacy allow the company to directly remove postings if they contain porn, or take other actions if they include explicit sexual content or unjustified nudity.

President of the Internet Users Associations, Victor Domingo, explained to Spanish news agency Efe Wednesday that not all nudity necessarily constitutes pornography. He lamented that many bloggers will have to shut down their blogs because they will not be able to remain public. — IANS/EFE