From Google to FMS (and Back)

A nasty surprise lay in wait in the FMS inbox on Monday morning.

A message from Google no less.

Dear Blogger User,

We're writing to tell you about an upcoming change to the Blogger Content Policy that may affect your account.

In the coming weeks, we'll no longer allow blogs that contain sexually explicit or graphic nude images or video. We'll still allow nudity presented in artistic, educational, documentary or scientific contexts, or where there are other substantial benefits to the public from not taking action on the content.

The new policy will take effect on 23 March 2015. After this policy comes into force, Google will restrict access to any blog identified as being in violation of our revised policy. No content will be deleted, but only blog authors and those with whom they have expressly shared the blog will be able to see the content that we've made private.

Our records indicate that your account may be affected by this policy change. Please refrain from creating new content that would violate this policy. We would also ask you to make any necessary changes to your existing blog to comply as soon as possible so that you won't experience any interruptions in service. You may also choose to create an archive of your content via Google Takeout (https://www.google.com/settings/takeout/custom/blogger).

For more information, please look here (https://support.google.com/blogger?p=policy_update).

Yours sincerely,
The Blogger Team

(c) 2015 Google Inc. 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA

As a result of this, FMS is going to have to change.

The idea of making the blog "private" goes against the whole ethos of spreading the female muscle lovin' word. If the blog is not publicly searchable or accesible, with only a limited readership required to sign in to view it, then I'd rather not bother.

Option 2 is to do as they say. Go back through the blog, deleting content that violates their policy. We'll still allow nudity presented in artistic, educational, documentary or scientific contexts, or where there are other substantial benefits to the public from not taking action on the content, they say. But as my definition of art (eg. Lisa Cross' body) is unlikely to match theirs, I could spend days removing "sexually explicit or graphic images" only to find I have not deleted enough and get slapped anyway.

All in all, I'm quite offended by this. FMS is, indeed, an adult blog, but I would argue it is adult in the sense of "not childish" (unless C. Moore Glootz is editing, of course), rather than in the sense of "porn". And to be given that label (though I have nothing against porn, God forbid) belittles what I have been trying to do here over the last few years - during which time, I might add, I have had just ONE (a notable exception indeed, but hardly typical) request to remove content, and even then it wasn't because the content was in any way too "sexually explicit or graphic".

So, as I sit here typing, the fire of indignation burning inside, my preferred option for the future, my only option perhaps if FMS is to have a meaningful, public future, is migration to another blog hosting site. Wordpress is the favourite, so I'll ask anyone who knows of any good reason why I shouldn't just take the whole damn thing over there instead to speak now or forever hold your peace.

I'm sorry to say that this whole debacle means the posting of the FMS Hot and Hard 100 2015 countdown will be slightly delayed. Not for long, if the process of archiving and reupping the blog to Wordress is as seamless as they claim, but delayed nonetheless. Sorry to keep you waiting. The 100 hottest and hardest women in the world (according to you lovely readers) will be revealed in all their glory at FMS' new home as soon as possible. I will, of course, tell you where that new home is right here.

Big love to all the voters, and all the supporters of the blog.

Offensive? I'll show you offensive...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e31971b2-134f-11e4-8244-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3SnRCScEv

6ft1swell