Michael Barnes is a Canadian photographer and the author of http://artnudes.blogspot.com/. Giselle Borzov, from http://gborzov.wordpress.com/, recently interviewed him. Here it is a piece of this interview.
"I understand you’ve recently had some issues with the blog around the definition of pornography?
“Yes. My blog was recently put behind an interstitial warning page by Google because someone, somewhere, flagged my blog as having inappropriate content. According to Google’s terms of service, they define it as follows: ‘Pornography and Obscenity: Image and video content that contains nudity, sexually graphic material, or material that is otherwise deemed explicit by Google . . . ‘ Lumping nudity with sexually graphic material is ridiculous. What sort of nudity? Does a baby’s bare bottom in a diaper ad count? Does a naked adult female with arms strategically placed to cover her breasts count? Sadly, according to Google’s policy, anything that elicits a complaint from the most easily offended person can result in the warning page being forced upon you. However, as I indicated in the previous question, this has always been the problem with this type of work. The prevailing attitude is, ‘I can’t define obscene, but I’ll know it when I see it.’ Unfortunately, this results in the most conservative people wielding a great deal of power, and limiting access for the rest of us. You can say it’s just a warning page, but I’ve received several emails from readers in foreign countries that now can’t access the site because it has been flagged as objectionable. Here’s where I’m tempted to go off on a rant about free speech and Libertarianism, but I’ll hold off!”
Well, he is right. I'll stand by his side in this matter. I experienced the same type of absurd censorship on Flickr. I canceled my account on Flickr several months ago. All I can say is to quote Boards Of Canada once again:
"Now that the show is over and we have jointly exercised our constitutional rights,
we would like to leave you with one very important thought.
Sometime in the future you may have the opportunity
to serve as a juror in censorship cases - or so called obscenity cases.
It would be wise to remember that the same people who stop you from listening
to "Boards Of Canada" may be back next year to complain about a book,
or even a TV programm.
If you could be told what you can see or read,
then it follows that you could be told what to say or think.
Defend your constitutionally protected rights.
No one else would do it for you.
Thank you"
Michael Sandison & Marcus Eoin Sandison
Boards Of Canada
we would like to leave you with one very important thought.
Sometime in the future you may have the opportunity
to serve as a juror in censorship cases - or so called obscenity cases.
It would be wise to remember that the same people who stop you from listening
to "Boards Of Canada" may be back next year to complain about a book,
or even a TV programm.
If you could be told what you can see or read,
then it follows that you could be told what to say or think.
Defend your constitutionally protected rights.
No one else would do it for you.
Thank you"
Michael Sandison & Marcus Eoin Sandison
Boards Of Canada
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