Itch.io Releases New Adult Content Guidelines
Last week, the mega indie platform itch.io announced that they had deindexed all adult content from its search and browse pages.
This decision was made in response to pressure from payment service providers and anti-pornography campaigns targeting the platform.
In response to protests from the independent developer community, itch.io has now introduced a series of new rules for adult content that wants to reappear on the platform. The full rules can be found in the Creator FAQ section of itch.io, which lists an “incomplete list” of prohibited themes according to the terms of payment card processing networks such as Stripe, PayPal, and Payoneer. Adult content on itch.io may not include the following themes:
- Non-consensual content (both real and implied)
- Underage or “almost legal” themes
- Incest or pseudo-incest
- Bestiality or animal-related content
- Rape, coercion, or sexual violence
- Implications of human trafficking or sex trafficking
- Revenge porn, voyeurism, or hidden camera
- Fetishes involving bodily waste or extreme danger (e.g., “scat” or “vomit”)
Itch.io also warns that accounts violating these terms may be subject to refunds or freezing of all transactions awaiting payout. This is because funds obtained through violations of the terms are ineligible for disbursement.
Although the door for adult content is now reopened with stricter rules, this incident raises broader questions about the power held by payment processing companies in regulating online markets. Many in the developer community see this as a reflection of how external regulations can affect creative freedom and content distribution on independent platforms.
