censorship

Google adds auto blur feature to any explicit image even if SafeSearch is turned off

Feb 9, 2023 by Alex Baker 5 Comments

Google is rolling out a safer image search feature over the coming months that will blur any images that it deems explicit. It will apparently do this automatically using AI, even if the Safe Search feature is deactivated. Google has apparently initiated this to celebrate ‘Safe Internet Day’.

The news was announced yesterday in a blog post and is aimed at keeping families and young children safer when online. There will also be advances in privacy features in addition to the image-blurring tool.

Facebook and Instagram told to stop censoring female nipples by advisory board

Jan 19, 2023 by Alex Baker Leave a Comment

The advisory board for Meta has informed Facebook and Instagram that they need to reverse their policy of censorship of bare breasts on the platforms. Previously, what were perceived to be female nipples were automatically banned by the social media apps.

The advisory board, however, responded by saying that the policy impedes the right to expression for women, trans and nonbinary people.

Award-winning photographer has exhibition with Helmut Newton censored for her same sex imagery

Oct 14, 2022 by Alex Baker 1 Comment

An internationally acclaimed photographer has told of her frustration and disappointment after a Barcelona art museum censored her prestigious concurrent exhibition with images by Helmut Newton. The censorship occurred without warning. The first that photographer Renée Jacobs knew about it was on the opening night when more than half the images had been removed for reasons of what she describes as discrimination and misogyny.

Renee Jacobs is a multi-award-winning photographer and has received accolades for her body of work in depicting the female form. Her book Polaroids has recently won first prize in the International Photography Awards for Book/Fine Art. So it was no surprise then when the FotoNostrum Gallery invited her to show her work in a joint exhibition alongside Helmut Newton called “seeingWOMEN”.

Egypt criminalises photos and videos that are offensive to the country

Jul 21, 2022 by Alex Baker Leave a Comment

Egypt: one of those truly exotic and enigmatic destinations, steeped in history. It’s on a lot of people’s bucket lists to visit, photographers and non-photographers alike. But of course, like many places, it’s complicated. Political upheaval and terrorism threats have made it less relaxing to visit in recent years. Coupled with that, strict politics have gone as far as to infringe on the freedom to take photos and videos freely in public spaces.

Several vloggers and influencers who visited Egypt in the past year were dismayed to have their camera equipment confiscated by authorities. So it’s good news then for most tourists and visitors that the Egyptian government has announced that it is relaxing its rules on casual street photography and photography in public spaces. As long as it’s strictly for amateur use, however.

Russia bans Facebook and Instagram after Meta allows violent posts against Russians

Mar 14, 2022 by Dunja Djudjic 3 Comments

Earlier this month, Russia decided to ban Facebook citing “discrimination against Russian media.” But as of today, Instagram is banned in this country, too.

One of the reasons behind this decision is the fact that Meta has allowed posts that call for violence against Russian soldiers and politicians. But both moves have inevitably caused some censorship concerns, too.

High school accused of body-shaming girls after photoshopping their cleavages in yearbook photos

May 24, 2021 by Dunja Djudjic 11 Comments

Bartram Trail High School in St. Johns County, Florida recently came under fire for photoshopping girls’ bodies in yearbook photos. After their yearbook was published, 80 female students reported that their photos were altered to remove any hint of cleavage. The students and their parents got furious, and so did the public.