Porn Apps Banned From Google Glass
The company that released the first pornographic app for Google Glass on Monday later found out Google had changed its policies to prevent sexually explicit "Glassware" content from being used on the device.
"We don't allow Glassware content that contains nudity, graphic sex acts, or sexually explicit material," the Glass Platform Developer Policies now state. "Google has a zero-tolerance policy against child pornography. If we become aware of content with child pornography, we will report it to the appropriate authorities and delete the Google Accounts of those involved with the distribution."
Google told ABC News the policy was updated last week. Jesse Adams, CEO of MiKandi, the company that developed the "T*** & Glass" app, said in a blog post Monday his company had not received a notification from Google about the changes but would change the app to comply with the updated policy.
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"When we received our Glass and started developing our app 2 weeks ago, we went through the policy very carefully to make sure we were developing the app within the terms," wrote Adams. "We double checked again last week when making the site live on the Internet and available for install for testing during last week's announcement. We were not notified of any changes and still haven't been notified by Google."
Adams claimed nearly 10,000 unique visitors visited the app's website in the hours following its release, and a dozen Glass users signed up to use it.
"Besides point-of-view content, we're interested in Glass' potential to facilitate two-way adult interaction. For example, between long-distance couples, cam models and fans or strangers." MiKandi co-founder Jennifer McEwen previously told Mashable.
Google Glass is a hands-free device that is worn on the face like a normal pair of glasses and projects images onto one eye. It allows users to take pictures, search for answers via Google, send messages and more using voice commands.
Daniel Weiss, founder of The Brushfires Foundation, told The Christian Post via email that he hopes Google's decision to ban pornographic Glassware content is just the "first of many" changes the tech giant makes with regards to pornography. Weiss founded Brushfires last year to help "those impacted by sexual brokenness to discover, reclaim and live out their created identity in Christ."
"It's not surprising that a company would seek to exploit a new technology to sell sex; it happens with every new technology," said Weiss. "Thankfully, Google saw the dangers with this app. Pornography already distorts a viewer's perception of sexuality, relationships and the human person. It's abhorrent to consider a person walking around with sexually graphic images superimposed on passersby without their knowing it. This is objectification taken to a new extreme."
He added: "Google's decision to keep their glasses 'clean' is a small but important step for society because it communicates that deep down we still understand that such graphic and degrading imagery is beneath us and harmful to all involved."
Google Glass is expected to be made available to the general public in 2014, Policymic.com reported a month ago. The Explorer edition cost developers $1,500, though the retail price of the device is expected to be much lower.
