Twitter's video-sharing app, Vine has banned all sexually explicit content from being published on the platform.
"We've found that there's a very small percentage of video that are not a good fit for our community," it said in a blog post.
The micro-blogging site has said that the rules will go into effect immediately.
"For more than 99 percent of our users, this doesn't really change anything. For the rest: we don't have a problem with explicit sexual content on the Internet - we just prefer not to be the source of it," Vine said in the statement.
After the app was launched by Twitter in January 2013, it came under the scanner, when a pornographic content inadvertently appeared under "Editor's Pick".
After the incident, Twitter apologized for the error and removed the video. The minimum age for users of the app was raised from 12 to 17+ in Apple's AppStore.
According to Vine, notifications have now been sent to users whose accounts usually have sexually explicit contents. They have been asked to remove the materials to comply with the new rules.
Additionally, users who see explicit contents can also report about it by using "Report this post" option, the app said.
Following are the top five examples of 'Sexually explicit' contents that will not be allowed, according to the newly created rule:
1. Sex acts, whether alone or with another person
2. Use of sex toys for sex acts
3. Sexually provocative nudity, for instance, posts that focus on exposed genitalia or depict nudity in a context or setting that is deemed as sexually provocative (example: a strip club)
4. Close-ups of aroused genitals underneath clothing
5. Art or animation that is sexually graphic (like hentai)
However, Twitter says there are some depictions of nudity or partial nudity that are permissible. Following are some of them:
1. Nudity in a documentary context, example: videos of nude protestors
2. Nudity in an artistic context, example, nude modeling in an art class
3. Nudity that is not sexually provocative, like a mother breastfeeding her child
4. Clothed sexually suggestive dancing.
Twitter has also said that if people violate this policy, their accounts will be suspended. They will be eligible for account restoration only after they remove the content and certify that their account complies with the Vine Rules.
(Edited by Vanilla Sharma)
