Content Moderation
Ongoing coverage on Content Moderation.
Latest coverage
Google removes Doki Doki Literature Club! from the Play Store
Google has removed the psychological horror visual novel Doki Doki Literature Club! from the Play Store, citing violations of its Terms of Service regarding sensitive themes. Developers Dan Salvato and Serenity Forge are working to get the game reinstated and are exploring alternative Android distribution methods. The game remains available on Steam, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and iOS.
Nine-year-old cult visual novel Doki Doki Literature Club has been abruptly pulled from Android for its 'depiction…
Google has removed the cult visual novel Doki Doki Literature Club from the Android Play Store, citing violations of its Terms of Service related to the depiction of self-harm. The game, developed by Dan Salvato and published by Serenity Forge, remains available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and iOS. The publisher is seeking to have the game reinstated and exploring alternative Android distribution methods.
Doki Doki Literature Club Removed From Google Play Store After Already Being There For Months
Doki Doki Literature Club has been removed from the Google Play Store, with developer Serenity Forge citing a violation of the storefront's terms of service regarding sensitive themes. The game remains available on other platforms like iOS and Nintendo Switch, and Serenity Forge is exploring alternative Android distribution methods. This removal is discussed in the context of broader industry trends concerning content moderation and censorship of mature themes.
Modding community draws line ahead of Pragmata’s release
Ahead of Pragmata's release, the PC modding community is discussing ethical boundaries regarding the sexualization of child-like AI characters. Modders are calling for a line to be drawn against explicit content involving the character Diana, contrasting it with adult characters in games like Stellar Blade. The community is urging users to report inappropriate mods upon release.
Nintendo Removing 'Thousands' of Super Mario Maker 2 Levels, Tells Fans They're 'Advertising'
Nintendo has reportedly removed thousands of user-created levels from Super Mario Maker 2, citing violations related to advertising. Players have expressed frustration over the sudden and widespread removal of content.
Mario Maker 2 Level Deletion Spree Possibly Traced to Infamous Cheater
Hundreds of levels in Super Mario Maker 2 have been deleted by Nintendo, with accusations pointing to a cheater known as 'LMT' or 'MT94'. This individual allegedly used multiple accounts to report levels, leading to their removal and potential bans for creators. The deletions appear to be a retaliatory act following the cheater's fall from grace within the community.
Nintendo seemingly deleting Super Mario Maker 2 courses because of hashtags
Nintendo is reportedly deleting user-created courses in Super Mario Maker 2 if their names contain hashtags, which the company appears to consider advertising. This action follows a similar pattern observed with Animal Crossing: New Horizons, where players faced penalties for related issues.
Asmongold gets banned on Twitch for being Asmongold – bored yet?
Streamer Asmongold received a one-week ban from Twitch for making a controversial statement about "illiterate third-worlders." This is not the first time he has been banned for similar remarks, having previously been suspended for comments about Palestinians. The article discusses the implications of such bans for content creators and social media platforms.
Morning Consolidation
Sony continues its efforts to combat low-quality games on the PlayStation Store by removing a new batch of titles. Separately, the game 'The Detective Is Already Dead' has been announced for the Nintendo Switch.
Sony's battle against shovelware publishers persists as it purges another load of crap games from the PlayStation Store
Sony has continued its efforts to remove low-quality games from the PlayStation Store, delisting entire catalogues from publishers like GoGame Console Publisher, VRCForge Studios, and Welding Byte. This action targets games that mimic successful titles or are considered low-effort asset flips or AI-generated content, following a similar large-scale removal in January.
PS Store Gets Long Overdue Update PS5, PS4 Users Begged For
Sony has updated the PlayStation Store, removing hundreds of shovelware and scam games from publishers like GoGame Console Publisher, VRCForge, and Welding Byte. This marks the third such update this year, indicating Sony's increased seriousness in cleaning up its digital storefronts for both PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 users.
Meta will "substantially reduce" describing Instagram teen accounts as PG-13
Meta has agreed to significantly reduce its use of the PG-13 rating system for Instagram Teen Accounts, starting April 15, following objections from the Motion Picture Association (MPA). The MPA argued that comparing movie ratings to social media content moderation was misleading. While Meta will no longer explicitly link the two, it will continue to draw inspiration from MPA guidance for its content settings.
The video game payment processor crisis may be getting better, thanks to the American Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued warnings to payment processors like Mastercard, Visa, Stripe, and PayPal, stating they cannot deny service based on political or religious views. This action may alleviate the ongoing crisis affecting video game developers and platforms, such as Itch.io and Valve, who have faced restrictions on content and payment services due to pressure from these processors.
Evening Legal Briefs
The FTC has indicated that Mastercard's past actions pressuring Steam to remove NSFW games were not viewed favorably. Separately, a legal ruling may allow a class-action lawsuit against Meta concerning alleged torrenting activities to proceed.
Remember when Mastercard pressured Steam to remove a bunch of NSFW games? The FTC says that's not cool—sort…
The US Federal Trade Commission has sent letters to major financial services companies like Mastercard, Visa, PayPal, and Stripe, expressing concerns about potential political or religious discrimination in their services. This action follows Valve's report that Mastercard pressured Steam to remove NSFW games, a claim Mastercard denies, stating they only allow lawful purchases. The FTC's investigation could impact how payment processors handle content restrictions.
Roblox now uses AI moderation to shut down harmful content before it reaches you
Roblox has implemented a new real-time multimodal AI moderation system designed to detect and shut down harmful content before it reaches players. This system scans entire in-game scenes, including avatars, text, and 3D objects, to identify violations of community standards. The company is also co-developing a DLC Leadership Program with Keyword Studios and Riot Games to standardize training for online community managers.
Mark Zuckerberg offered to 'help' Elon Musk with DOGE in 2025
Text messages published in court documents reveal that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg offered to assist Elon Musk with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in early 2025. The exchange also included discussions about potentially bidding on OpenAI's intellectual property. Musk's lawyers have argued that these personal communications are irrelevant to his lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI.
Wikipedia bans AI-generated articles & page edits
Wikipedia's organizers have banned articles and page edits that are entirely generated by AI, citing repeated policy violations. This decision reflects concerns about the accuracy and adherence to standards for AI-written content on the platform.
Tomodachi Life demo has no filter - it's already descended into raunchy chaos
The demo for Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream on Nintendo Switch has revealed a surprising lack of content filters, allowing players to create explicit island names and dialogue. Despite Nintendo's family-friendly image and restrictions on sharing screenshots, the game permits unfiltered user-generated content. This approach contrasts with other Nintendo titles like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Pokémon, where word restrictions are common.
As Tomodachi Life demo players push its lack of filter to the limit, former marketing lead says Nintendo may be "rethinking" its approach after being caught out by the internet again
The demo for Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream features no filter for player-created content, leading to unfiltered Mii dialogue. Former Nintendo marketing lead Kit Ellis suggests the company may be rethinking its approach to user-generated content, as it has historically been surprised by player actions online. This lack of censorship in the demo mirrors the viral nature of the original Tomodachi Life, which was a significant commercial success.
