Google quickly updates policy to shut down porn apps for Glass

4 Jun 2013

A change to Google’s Glass developer policy means that apps containing sexually explicit content are now prohibited – right when the first of such apps had launched on the platform.

It was widely reported last week that adult app store MiKandi was working on the first porn app for Google Glass and the finished product, Tits & Glass, launched on Monday.

Following its launch, almost 10,000 unique visitors were clocked at the app’s website and about a dozen users signed up.

However, although the app’s developers claim they combed through Google’s terms in advance to ensure they weren’t breaking any rules, Google cut them off at the last minute with an update to its Glass Platform Developer Content Policy over the weekend that reads: “We don’t allow Glassware content that contains nudity, graphic sex acts, or sexually explicit material.”

“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,” writes MiKandi CEO Jesse Adams in a blog post. “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. We also double checked our emails to see if any notifications of policy changes were announced, but we haven’t found any such emails.”

MiKandi now must introduce changes to the now rule-breaking app in order to keep it live.

Elaine Burke is the host of For Tech’s Sake, a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network. She was previously the editor of Silicon Republic.

editorial@siliconrepublic.com