Algorithm vs. Art – Update 15 Jan 2024
We seem to have found a happy medium and our website is no longer being penalised for the female form being subject matter of the painting, this proves the point that you can’t argue when an AI if it spots a nipple. Please use the download button for the unblurred PDF versions of this page.
Algorithm vs. Art – Update 25 May 2023
We continue to update the images on this website but this has the unfortunate side effect of the policy algorithm penalising the entire website and restricting monetisation of the online content – A review has been requested and as of the 1st June, this process is ongoing.
Algorithm vs. Art – Update 20th April 2023
We have made some further changes to the artwork and filenames and it seems that our issues are resolved. By setting the problematic paintings as a downloadable PDF, we can appease the algorithm and monetise our content again. From this page, you can download the .PDF
Algorithm vs. Art – Update 14th April 2023
Despite all our blurring of images that might contain a nipple – We have received yet another policy violation from the AI, despite uploading no new content since we were last checked, We may be forced to remove content from this website if this issue is not resolved – Luke
Female-for in Art: A Tale of Blurring, and PDF Downloads
Artists have been pushing boundaries and testing societal norms for centuries, but it seems like algorithms haven’t quite caught up with the nuances of artistic expression. Such was the case for our website, which features a collection of paintings that caused our Advertising provider to mark them as “Restricted” due to the nature of the images.
Algorithm vs. Art
We were puzzled by this classification, as Doug’s female-form paintings are in the context of art, rather than anything else. However, we quickly realised that arguing with an algorithm was a futile endeavour, like trying to explain quantum mechanics to a cat.
So, we had to come up with a solution that would allow us to display our paintings without triggering Google’s ad restrictions.
The Art of Blurring, Enter the PDF
In a stroke of genius (or desperation), we decided to blur the painting’s images and make the full paintings available to download in this PDF.
We figured that since people would be actively choosing to view and download the paintings, rather than stumbling upon them through other content, we wouldn’t be violating any policies.
We like to imagine that we’re creating a new form of art: one that challenges the boundaries of advertising policies and celebrates the freedom of artistic expression. But in reality, we just want Doug’s website to begin to grow in search and contribute to its development. Providing advertising is a good way for us to do this, so it is important that we are working towards a solution once an for all. Even if this is partial self-imposed censorship.
The Future of Art and Algorithms
In all seriousness, this experience has raised important questions about the role of algorithms in regulating online content, particularly when it comes to art.
As artists continue to push boundaries and explore new forms of expression, it’s crucial that algorithms evolve to accommodate these nuances.
Until then, we’ll be here, blurring and PDF-ing future works to ensure we adhere to standard content policies.
