Google on Moral Crusade
This morning, Google (the company behind Blogger) sent out notices to all Blogger users. These notices stated that any adult sites or adult content would be taken down. Google, it seems, is on a moral crusade. Blogger has always allowed adult content, but now Google wants it all gone. What's changed? Why the sudden crackdown? There are two possible explanations. 
Google Internet Clean Up
Google has recently announced that the company will begin a photo database that's sole purpose is to crackdown on child pornography sites. These sites would be shut down as soon as a site has been reported. Google's new database will make recognizing such sites easier. This is all meant to happen in the next few months.
In line with getting rid of underage sites, Google may be working to rid the Internet of adult content sites too. Since the company can't simply start shutting down all adult sites, Google may be starting this crackdown with sites it can control: Blogger sites. Or, there might be another reason why Google has sent out warnings to Blogger users.
A Simple Case of Defense
Adult content sites often go hand-in-hand with malware problems. Google may be eliminating all adult content from Blogger in an effort avoid any kind of malware attack. This is a possibility, but it's not the one that most people are worried about. Instead, many are concerned that Google will start cleaning up the Internet according to the company's own moral code. You be your own judge – here's what Google sent out to Bloggers today:
Important Update to Adult Content Policy on Blogger
You are receiving this message because you are the admin of a blog hosted on Blogger which is identified to have Adult content.
Please be advised that on June 30th 2013, we will be updating our Content Policy to strictly prohibit the monetization of Adult content on Blogger. After June 30th 2013, we will be enforcing this policy and will remove blogs which are adult in nature and are displaying advertisements to adult websites.
If your adult blog currently has advertisements which are adult in nature, you should remove them as soon as possible as to avoid any potential Terms of Service violation and/or content removals.”
In short: if you current run adult ads on your Blogger site or have adult content, get rid of it or your site will be shut down. What can you do? Move to Yahoo's Tumblr, for one thing. Yahoo has already stated that the company won't be shutting down adult sites. Keep in mind that Google's warning applies to sites that run adult ads, so you'll have to get rid of those if you have any on your Blogger site.
What do you think about Google's latest adult content crackdown? Is it warranted, or is Google going too far?
