Imgur Is Banning All NSFW Images
Imgur will no longer allow NSFW content on its site and will be cleaning up old content deemed inappropriate.
Since first debuting in 2009, Imgur has been at the forefront of how internet users handle image sharing, allowing anyone with an internet connection to upload a photo of their choice for the world to use. Now following suit with companies like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, who have come out with strong guidelines on what their users can and can’t share, the online platform has taken a stand against a slew of content deemed inappropriate, including NSFW images. And, not only do the rules state that new images won’t be able to be shared, but they’ll also be cracking down on content that has long called the platform home.
Beginning on May 15, Imgur will be starting over fresh and doing away with “old, unused, and inactive content” as well as “nudity, pornography, and sexually explicit content.” In hopes of cleaning up its site and making it more appropriate for users, the company plans to make a friendlier platform for anyone who may use it in the future. Of course, there are also business-related implications with Imgur’s big decision, taking a major risk out of lawsuits and other legal matters that could arise should they continue down the NSFW pathway.
Reddit users are sure to be the most up-in-arms about the changes over at Imgur as the platform behind the most classic memes over the last few decades has long since put an end to the use of explicit images. One piece of good news for the Imgur community is that if you have an account of your own, your years-old content won’t be wiped from the systems meaning you’ll still have your collection of images and memes from days long in the past.
As part of their move for a “cleaner” site, Imgur shared a fully fleshed-out set of rules for their users to better understand how things will proceed moving forward. Referring to the website as “a fun place” for those across the internet to share their content for others to find and “have their spirits lifted,” the statement says that their new rules are being put into place to ensure that all users will have a pleasant experience while staying in line with Imgur’s “values.” The message instructs those who may take offense to things they see following the mid-May wipe to report their findings to moderators, who will then take things into their own hands.
Along with the mission statement, the page also goes over all of Imgur’s changing rules, from the banning of NSFW content to the banning of “gore or shock” images. They’re also calling for their followers to not share their own private information and to help clean up the site by marking the appropriate material as “mature” when the situation is deemed as such. Some bits go into their stance against “hate speech” and “abuse” as well as “violent activity.”
All in all, we can’t be too shocked by Imgur’s decision to stray away from the wide world of open sharing at all costs. Even with Elon Musk’s push for “free speech” on Twitter, there are still boundaries beginning to close around what folks are and aren’t allowed to share on the internet.
