Mature Content Policy Is Here! (please Update Your Shops)

Hi everyone. Today we’re announcing a change for Shop Owners that will help your customers better define what they’d like to see in search results. As you know, we have long had a content policy that governed what types of things that can and cannot be sold in Shapeways shops. However, there is also a category of models that are allowed to be sold here on Shapeways, but aren’t necessarily for everyone.


We strive to be a home for a broad range of communities, which is why we’ve tried to structure our content policy to accommodate as much design and expression as possible. But, being a home to a broad range of communities also means respecting the fact that every community is not always looking for every type of content.


That is why today we are preparing to roll out a mature content policy. Unlike the content policy, which explains what is not allowed on Shapeways, the mature content policy creates a framework for types of works that are expressly allowed on Shapeways - as long as they are tagged appropriately. We are asking all shop owners with mature content to properly tag that content as mature before the full launch on February 22nd. Failure to properly tag content may negatively affect search results for your products.


What qualifies as mature content?


What qualifies as mature content can be tricky, and no list can ever be exhaustive. However, mature content includes:

• Non-medical or scientific depictions of genitalia
  
  
• Sexual activity or content, including highly sexualized models and sexualized nudity
  
  
• Profane language
  
  
• Graphic violence
  
  
• Items associated with sexual wellness, such as dildos, plugs, chastity belts, etc.
  
  
• Sexualized or graphically violent product photos for otherwise non-mature models

Additionally, non-mature items that use mature images in product photos must be tagged as mature content.


What happens to content that is tagged mature?


First and foremost, it will be easier for customers looking for mature content to find it. Logged-in users who have opted into mature content will be able to explicitly limit searches to mature content.


For guests and users who have not opted into seeing mature content, mature models will not show up in searches or while browsing shopping categories. However, mature models will be visible if those users visit a shop with mature content or if they click on a direct link to a mature model.


What happens if I don’t properly tag my content?


We reserve the right to apply mature tags to content that we deem to be mature. If shops or designers repeatedly fail to properly tag their models or seek to avoid or remove mature content tags, those shops and models may be depreciated in search.


What if I’m not sure if a model is mature?


We encourage you to contact content-precheck@shapeways.com if you would like to check and see how the mature content policy applies to a specific model.



How do I tag my content?


The mature content tag is in the discoverability section on a product edit page. Check the box labeled “This product is intended for mature audiences” to tag it as mature.






How do I opt into seeing mature content?


Check the “Show mature audience content” box in your user profile.







What are the next steps?


We will announce this to the broader community on February 22. However, we are soft launching the feature today, which means that mature content is specifically searchable as of right now.


We are asking you to tag all existing mature models by February 22 so that everything is ready for the full public announcement. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them here.

Hey, I think that's a great decision. I have no immediate plans to put up "mature content", or even sully my virgin eyes by looking at any; but there's money to be made there, and I see no reason you shouldn't be the ones to make it, and having a separate area for it is the way to go.

Great! Now I can finally sell my cylindrical puzzle, of which only Americans seems to feel offended about. However, I am still worried about Shapeways staff. My cylindrical puzzle was banned from Shapeways with the argument that its view could make Shapeways staff members feel hurt. Has Shapeways now hired more rugged staff? Or have you installed special safe rooms? Or is the production done only outside America?

I totally think the logo of this area should be the NOTORIOUS PUZZLE PENIS.

You mean this one?

Try making it 6" ?

Will be interesting to see how this works in practice - will a replica of the facebook-famous roman Neptune statue be banned unless the functional group is covered ?

I am an opportunist. I have rebranded my Deep Cube into Forni Cube, added a more naughty-looking picture of it, and marked the entry as mature content. I hope it will attract some extra sales .

Warning: the attached picture and the included hyperlink in this message have been marked as mature!

Oskar

Obviously we'll need flesh tones in the *SF dye palette. How about the Unicode-approved emoji skin tints?

I can totally imagine future factory tours: 'And here we have the dyeing room where we dye.. ' * looks at drying rack* 'uh.. well, this seems like a .. '

...harmonic oscillator - it's a harmonic oscillator

Most users won't know to "opt in" or even know there is an opt in mature content..

Shapeways is pretty much will be hiding most of my products by DEFAULT.. Which is bullshit..

In etsy people can opt out by filtering out mature content.. which is perfectly acceptable

But what you guys are doing is the total opposite and will hurt my already low sales..

Thankfully I been focusing my advertising on etsy.com/shop/amznfx and my personal page Politicalsculptor.com and get my prints made by another 3d printing company...

You Guys are doing an excellent job in pushing artists away from your website by constantly changing the website for the worse

I just opted in, wouldn't want to miss out on the good stuff...

Perhaps they supply blindfolds?

Ha ha, I misread that as rigid staff.

Is Shapeways getting ready to augment its porcelain process with a silicone 3D print process? That would make for a very interesting factory tour. And just think about all the scanning yourself, or a friend, business opportunities. It might even increase your customer engagement rates.

#UserExperience
#UserInterface

Oh yes. Is it warm in here?

I feel that this is closer to Oskar's artistic intention.

Tantalizing discussion!

Hey Michael! I think you've been doing a great job for Shapeways!

Now let me see, are you saying that the new content policy is going to allow products that can fall under these descriptions?

• Non-medical or scientific depictions of genitalia
  
• Sexual activity or content, including highly sexualized models and sexualized nudity
  
• Profane language
  
• Graphic violence
  
• Items associated with sexual wellness, such as dildos, plugs, chastity belts, etc.
  
• Sexualized or graphically violent product photos for otherwise non-mature models

Like for example, can I open a sex toy shop on Shapeways? I know Shapeways doesn't currently possess any materials good for most types of sex toys, but I can think of a number sexual wellness type products that Shapeways could produce with the current lineup of materials.

How is the new setting going to be handled for browsing without login (without even having a shapeways account, given that is no longer needed even for buying as far as I know) ?
Perhaps it would make sense to put the checkbox into the "FILTER BY" grouping of all SHOP sections, with the optional user profile only providing a convenient place to set the personal default. Something like "Hide mature content" and defaulting to "off" would be my suggestion - though I'm not even sure I would classify objects like the dickbut meme as particularly "mature" and small children would more easily be scared by monster figurines than by some utensil for the boring or slightly gross things adults do...