MySpace Censorship: Filtering Images Gone Wild

Another good idea is proving to be problematic when put into action on MySpace. They have an image filtering solution in place which (in theory) converts TOS violating images into a little image which simply has the text “Terms of Service Violation” on it. It does so by checking urls within image tags against a blacklist and replacing blacklisted image urls with the url to their TOS image.

Example:
If a MySpace admin adds http://www.ghettowebmaster.com/images/naked-dead-hooker.gif to the blacklist…

this…
<img src="http://www.ghettowebmaster.com/images/naked-dead-hooker.gif" />

will be converted into this…<img src="http://x.myspace.com/images/tos.gif" />
…every time someone attempts to post it.

All instances of the original image posted before the url is added to the blacklist will remain as-is. The only exception to this is instances of the original image posted as part of a profile. In that case, the image will remain as-is until the profile is updated.

This system is currently filtering images on profiles, profile comments, groups, forums, and picture comments. MySpace blogs and their comments are still free from image and url filtering.

Good idea, right? I’ll gladly argue you into the ground if you think otherwise. So, where’s the problem? Many of the computers used by MySpace admins are infected with a serious case of the PEBKAC Virus. For those of you that don’t know and are too lazy to click that last link, PEBKAC is an acronym which stands for “Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair”. Some of the MySpace admins are being insanely overzealous with their magical image censorship wands.

— FAIR WARNING —

*** Scrolling Further Down Will Reveal Images MySpace Has Deemed Obscene ***

— FAIR WARNING —

*** The Below Makes Cable TV Look Like Hardcore Porn ***

— FAIR WARNING —

*** [Insert Something Witty Here] ***

— FAIR WARNING —

*** [Insert Something Here That Makes You Question My Comedic Ability] ***

— FAIR WARNING —

*** [Insert Something Here That’s Hilarious When Coupled With That Last Line] ***

— FAIR WARNING —

………………………………..

……………………….

………………..

…………

…….

….

Blacklisted Image URL:
http://critiquesdemusic.canalblog.com/images/Nirvana_Nevermind_Front.jpg

Image Hosted There:

I have to agree with Kurt on this one…

Geffen prepared an alternate cover without the penis, as they were afraid that it would offend people, but relented when [Kurt] Cobain made it clear that the only compromise he would accept was a sticker covering the penis that would say “If you’re offended by this, you must be a closet pedophile.” - Wikipedia

Blacklisted Image URL:
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/6387/velveeta7an.jpg

Image Hosted There:

That’s not an old ad by Kraft. It’s a piece by artist Mel Ramos from 1965. He was part of the artistic movement from which Andy Warhol is most famous.

The above examples were posted in this group thread.

Another Filtered Image:
I don’t have the blacklisted image url for this one.

I had an image on my profile that someone apparently took offense to, so MySpace replaced it with their “Terms Of Service Violation” picture (a gif that says Terms Of Service Violation in black letters on a white background…

Oh, I forgot to mention a couple of things about the picture. It was of a painting of Eve and the serpent representing the beginning of sin, and was in fact called “The Sin” (Die Sünde in German). It was painted by the German artist Franz Von Stuck in 1893, and is currently located in the Neue Pinakothek, a museum in Munich, Germany. The museum describes itself as, “the Neue Pinakothek is now the most important museum of art of the nineteenth century in the world”. - RaScarabous

Modern Nipples However Are Not Obscene:
What was the most popular MySpace blog entry on May 26 of 2007?

I’m glad you happened to ask…

I got a bunch of messages that day from people bitching about a nipple making an appearance in those “Hot Preview Pics”. MySpace surely got a bunch of messages about it too. They have always turned a blind eye towards the Suicide Girls though. Why? Those chicks all have TONS of friends on MySpace and produce thousands upon thousands of page views everyday. So, it’s a money thing. And, the Suicide Girls are one of the many things that helped MySpace build up traffic / members in the first place.

The picture in question is still posted on that “blog entry” (ad for their softcore porn site).

Not That It Matters:
I really don’t know why anyone would bother but the filtering can easily be circumvented. The blacklist is comprised of strict urls, so simply adding a “www” prefix to the Nirvana album cover got it through. Tossing one (or several) extra backslashes into a url will also do the trick…

http://www.ghettowebmaster.com//////////images//////naked-dead-hooker.gif

In Summary:
I think the image filtering solution is a good idea. MySpace just needs to police / train their admins better and only filter images which blatantly violate their TOS.