If you suddenly find yourself unable to see my blog on March 23, it may be because this blog will have suddenly been switched over to "private" mode by Google. We Bloggerites all just received a notification stating that Google, a nanny-stater par excellence, is instituting a new adult-content policy. Here's what it says, in part:
Adult Content Policy on Blogger
Starting March 23, 2015, you won't be able to publicly share images and video that are sexually explicit or show graphic nudity on Blogger.
Note: We’ll still allow nudity if the content offers a substantial public benefit, for example in artistic, educational, documentary, or scientific contexts.
Changes you’ll see to your existing blogs
If your existing blog doesn’t have any sexually explicit or graphic nude images or video on it, you won’t notice any changes.
If your existing blog does have sexually explicit or graphic nude images or video, your blog will be made private after March 23, 2015. No content will be deleted, but private content can only be seen by the owner or admins of the blog and the people who the owner has shared the blog with.
I have a picture of Muhammad as a dildo-faced donkey. I have a copy of a sexual cartoon from The Onion that's meant to offend almost all religions. I've got a naughty picture that I recycle whenever I do a birthday tribute for my buddy Mike. Will these be sexually explicit enough to get me "privatized"? If so, you might want to think about becoming a follower of this blog so that you'll be able to see my content. (See the right-hand margin for my followers list, which contains the link that lets you become a member. Heh. Member.)
So: you've been warned. I don't consider this blog to be a font of pornographic imagery, but it's undeniable that I've slapped some potentially raunchy content up here now and again. So prepare for the worst: assume I'm going to be turned into a private blog, and become a blog member NOW. I wouldn't normally be so demanding, but I don't see how else I'm going to keep my already-meager readership. And if not enough people show up as new members of this blog (e.g., if I end up with under 100 members by March 23), I might just have to shoot the Hairy Chasms right in its hairy chasms and live life bloglessly. That would be a shame.
But we'll see. There's a chance that I might be passed over, like a Hebrew firstborn ignored by the Destroyer in ancient Egypt.
_
And here I was just writing about the death of blogging. Ah well, I'm now an official follower of the Hairy Chasms.
ReplyDeleteArgh! I hate having to join/follow stuff!
ReplyDeleteI will if I have to, but I'm going to wait and see what happens.
(Most likely the downfall of human civilization--in which case I won't have to worry.)
John,
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Charles,
Believe me, I sympathize.
Where do I sign up?
ReplyDeleteJeffery Hodges
* * *
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteIf you look at my blog's right-hand margin, you'll see a section at the very top titled "Followers of the Hairy Path." Below that title is a "widget" (a small app) that keeps track of my blog's "members," i.e., people who follow me publicly. At the very bottom of the rows of thumbnail images is a question, followed by a link:
"Already a member? Sign in."
Click the "Sign in" link to begin the process of becoming a blog follower/member. And thanks.
I hope it keeps me logged in. This seems like a bit much on Google's part.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do love that picture...