Some news stories on this here and here. It’s a US-only change so far.
For now.
The Google statement (from the CNet article linked from Der Trihs’ Gizmodo link):
The CNet piece goes on to say, “Google says the change simply brings image search settings in line with existing settings for Web and video search. But it’s worth noting that this move is unusual for a company that in every other case works to make it easier, not harder, for you to find the thing you’re looking for. . . . With its new image search settings, Google has identified one place where it wants users to work a bit harder.” Which is their prerogative of course, though they could have been a bit clearer about the change.
Google has been moving more and more towards conservative-Christian style censorship; it wasn’t so long ago they pressured TV Tropes into removing various pages and putting content warning on others.
Yeah, but TV Tropes was a cesspool. It should have been cleaned up long before Google asked.
Yeah, pages on adoptions in the media by same sex parents are so very filthy and evil. :rolleyes:
It isn’t Google’s job to “clean up” anything. I’ve barely even visited TVTropes since then, because it’s censorship I find offensive.
I don’t mind the censorship, but let’s have an option to turn it off, even if it requires logging in to do it.
Bullshit. I tried a couple of simple and unambiguously sexual search terms, and Google Image went out of it’s way to give the least salacious possible returns. Goodbye Google I’m using Bing from now on.
Same here.
It’s what I’ve been using until they (hopefully) fix this stupid fucking decision.
I hope they see the huge shift of traffic to the uk server and take the hint.
I expect they’ll do the opposite and change the UK server to match.
I actually like this. It’s not ‘censorship’ as long as users are still able to search for their porn or whatever - it just takes a few extra steps. I’ll admit being frustrated the first time. And if it continues to be a pain maybe I’ll take my ‘adult’ searches to Bing. But as a parent of young children (ages 6 and 8) who use the internet, I’m glad that their innocuous searches are less likely to bring up inappropriate images. For example, a few months ago my son wanted to search for Aslan (the lion) but spelled it with two S’s. The results were pretty shocking for a 7-year old.
Sorry about this extremely unhelpful post. I mis-read the OP and thought he was just having trouble locating the settings panel. Didn’t realize Google had actually changed policies.
This is kind of bullshit, IMO.
One complaint I’ve been hearing is that it’s hard now to search for anything between “tame” and “completely explicit”.
And I find the inability to turn it off offensive. Why is it only the prudes’ sensibilities that matter?
Internet not pr0n-y enough these days for you? ROFL
I noticed this too recently, and tried to futz with the gearbox and settings. It’s annoying for an old porn hand like me, but upon reflection I support it. Its fucked-up and damaging for society and for kids and their minds (how’s that for a critical commentary?) to have such easy access to porn, and of porn to which they–like us–are shocked even realizing that somewhere it is porn.
As the great Ron Jeremy, flanked by two sheep–a brilliant touch–said in a Christian video sermon (and church appearance) warning against too-easy access to porn: “Porno is just a typo away.”
You folks are right and I was wrong. There doesn’t appear to be any way to make uncensored searches using Advanced Search any more.
The german version isn’t censored.